From Our Neurons to Yours Your gut - the second brain? | Julia Kaltschmidt
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Feb 16, 2023 Julia Kaltschmidt, an associate professor studying the enteric nervous system, explores the idea of the gut as a 'second brain.' She explains what the enteric nervous system is and how it compares to the brain. She discusses microbiome interactions, links between gut dysfunction and neurological disorders, and open questions about ENS organization and therapeutic potential.
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Gut Has A Self-Sustained Nervous System
- The enteric nervous system is a dense, autonomous neural network lining the gut with 100–600 million neurons that can function without the brain.
- It contains sensory, motor, and interneurons, uses >30 neurotransmitters, and can sustain peristalsis ex vivo in isolated gut tissue.
Gut Handles Digestion Not Conscious Thought
- The enteric nervous system controls digestion (enzymes, nutrient uptake, muscle contractions) rather than conscious thought.
- It communicates bidirectionally with the brain mainly via the vagus nerve, allowing rapid gut–brain signaling.
Microbiome Sits Beside Gut Neurons And Sends Signals
- Close physical proximity of microbes to enteric neurons enables microbiome-to-neuron signaling that may influence mood and behavior.
- Research on the gut–brain axis explores how gut bacteria affect the enteric nervous system and, through it, the central nervous system.
