The Gut Brain

The human gut, found from the mouth to the anus, is lined with more than 100 million nerve cells recognised as the enteric nervous system (ENS). Recent neurobiological insights into this gut–brain crosstalk have revealed a complex, bidirectional communication system that not only ensures the proper maintenance of gastrointestinal homeostasis and digestion but is likely to have multiple effects on affect, motivation and higher cognitive functions, including intuitive decision making.

The popular statement that somebody has made a decision based on their gut feelings may have an actual neurobiological basis related to brain–gut interactions, and to interoceptive memories related to such interactions. Intuitive decision making can be defined as the rapid assessment of the probability of a favourable or unfavourable outcome of a planned behaviour in a situation of uncertain outcomes, which is dependent on previous experiences rather than on serial processes of inductive and or deductive reasoning.1

The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a bidirectional link between the central nervous system (CNS) and the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the body. It involves direct and indirect pathways between cognitive and emotional centres in the brain with peripheral intestinal functions. The GBA involves complex crosstalk between the endocrine (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), immune (cytokine and chemokines) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS).2

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845678/?_escaped_fragment_=po=2.13415

2 https://psychscenehub.com/psychinsights/the-simplified-guide-to-the-gut-brain-axis/