Background:　Nerve　growth　factor　(NGF)　and　enteric　glial　cells　(EGCs)　are　associated　with　visceral　hypersensitivity　and　gastrointestinal　motility　disorder,　which　may　represent　the　pathogenesis　of　functional　dyspepsia　(FD).　This　study　aimed　to　investigate　the　expression　of　NGF,　its　high　affinity　receptor　tropomyosin　receptor　kinase　A　(TrkA)　and　the　EGC　activation　marker　glial　fibrillary　acidic　protein　(GFAP)　in　the　gastric　mucosa　of　patients　with　FD　and　the　association　of　these　proteins　with　dyspeptic　symptoms.　Methods:　Gastric　mucosal　biopsies　taken　from　27　FD　patients　(9　epigastric　pain　syndrome　(EPS)　patients,　7　postprandial　distress　syndrome　(PDS)　patients　and　11　EPS　overlap　PDS　patients)　and　26　control　subjects　were　used　for　analysis.　The　expression　of　NGF,　TrkA　and　GFAP　was　examined,　and　the　association　of　these　proteins　with　dyspeptic　symptoms,　including　epigastric　pain,　postprandial　fullness,　early　satiation　and　epigastric　burning,　was　analysed.　Results:　The　expression　levels　of　NGF,　TrkA,　and　GFAP　in　the　gastric　mucosa　were　significantly　higher　in　the　EPS　group,　the　PDS　group,　and　the　EPS　overlap　PDS　group　than　in　the　healthy　control　group.　There　was　no　significant　difference　between　the　FD　subgroups.　TrkA　colocalized　with　GFAP,　which　indicated　that　TrkA　was　localized　to　EGCs,　and　the　expression　of　TrkA　in　EGCs　was　significantly　higher　in　the　FD　group　than　in　the　control　group.　Changes　in　the　expression　of　NGF,　TrkA,　and　GFAP　were　positively　correlated　with　epigastric　pain,　postprandial　fullness　and　early　satiation　but　had　no　significant　relationship　with　epigastric　burning.　Conclusions:　The　increased　expression　of　gastric　NGF,　TrkA　and　GFAP　might　be　involved　in　FD　pathophysiology　and　symptom　perception.