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Wednesday, December 16th, 2020

Hey, There’s a Second Brain in Your Gut

Author:     CAROLINE DELBERT
Source:     Popular Mechanics
Publication Date:     DEC 11, 2020
 Link: Hey, There’s a Second Brain in Your Gut
Stephan:   The idea of a second center in your gut is not new. Egyptian medicine held to this belief, and osteopathy has maintained this idea.  However, this is the most refined and detailed understanding of the idea, and its implications are profound.
The gut brain Credit: Getty
  • New research reveals that the “second brain” in your gut has at least a dozen kinds of neurons.
  • Scientists studied fetal and newborn mice to see when and how these neurons separate.
  • The “gut brain” is linked with emotional health and stress, but isn’t well understood.

Scientists have known for years that there’s a “second brain” of autonomous neurons in your long, winding human digestive tract—but that’s about where their knowledge of the so-called abdominal brain ends.

Now, in new research, scientists have catalogued 12 different kinds of neurons in the enteric nervous system (ENS) of mice. This “fundamental knowledge” unlocks a huge number of paths to new experiments and findings.

The gut brain greatly affects on how you body works. Your digestive system has a daily job to do as part of your metabolism, but it’s also subject to fluctuations in functionality, and otherwise related to your emotions.

Digestive symptoms and anxiety can be comorbid, and your gut is heavily affected by stress. So scientists believe having a better understanding […]

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