This is the chemical dialogue between your brain and your stomach

We know that the brain is the main element in charge of controlling and managing the set of processes carried out in our body. But the truth is that the rest of the systems are also very important for its maintenance and have the potential to influence its activity.

An example of this is the digestive system, thanks to which we can obtain the necessary nutrients to stay alive. Brain and stomach are related and communicate through nerve impulses and the transmission of chemicals.

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Functional divisions of the nervous system

When we talk about the nervous system we generally divide this into the central nervous system, in which we mainly find the brain and spinal cord, and peripheral or autonomic nervous system, which would correspond to the set of ganglia and nerves that innervate the different organs and cause information from the organs to pass to the brain and vice versa.

Within the autonomic nervous system, we usually identify two basic subsystems, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic

, which are in charge of managing the set of activities that the body carries out outside our conscience and of prepare our body to face dangerous situations (or decrease activation once said situation).

However, there is a third subsystem of the autonomic nervous system, little studied and often ignored despite its tremendous importance to survival. It is about the enteric nervous system, a part of our bodies related to the fascinating phenomenon of the dialogue between the viscera and the brain.

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The enteric nervous system

The enteric nervous system is of paramount importance in the survival of the organism. It is the set of nerve fibers that innervate and control the functioning of the digestive system. It controls aspects such as the movement of the muscles of the digestive tract that allow food to reach the stomach, the secretion of acids and enzymes that dissolve food, the absorption of nutrients and the expulsion of waste.

This system is made up of millions of neurons (in an amount similar to that of the spinal cord) distributed throughout the digestive tract and that although it is influenced by The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is controlled by the enteric ganglia in a partially independent way, acting in a reflects. Not surprisingly, the digestive system has sometimes been called the second brain.

In this system also a large number of hormones and neurotransmitters can be found (particles that act as messengers between neurons), such as serotonin (of which most of what we present in our body is found and synthesized in this system, although it is also produced by the brain), dopamine, substance P or GABA among many others.

These neurotransmitters are regulated by the enteric system itself, although there is an influence on this system by those of the central system.

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Nervous stomach-brain communication

Although it has some independence, the enteric system and the central nervous system meet linked and some nerves of the central nervous system connect with different organs of the tube digestive.

The vagus nerve is the main means of nerve communication between brain and digestive system. This nerve is of great importance in different body systems; in the case of the stomach, it has been found that a two-way communication is established in which In fact, the amount of information going from stomach to brain is greater than that going from brain to stomach.

That there is a greater transmission of information from the stomach to the brain than vice versa it is due to the need to control intake. The behavior of eating is governed by the brain, which causes the need for the brain to receive information about the good or bad functioning of the digestive system or whether consumption is harmful or beneficial to us, as well as whether the level of consumption is being excessive (feelings of satiety and hunger).

Despite this, the bum helps control bowel activity especially when the organism is in a situation of tension or danger. In this situation, the sympathetic system contributes to stopping the functioning of the digestive system. When the dangerous situation passes, it is the vagus nerve that is the main responsible for reactivating its functioning by acting at the parasympathetic level. It also participates in the emission of bile.

Furthermore, while the enteric system is capable of synthesizing and managing neurotransmitters, it is also affected by the functioning of the brain. Situations that generate stress or anxiety affect the enteric nervous system and its motility, as well as neurochemical imbalances such as those that occur during depression. Some of the hormones involved in this brain-digestive tract relationship are serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Also acetylcholine, this being important for example in the functioning of the vagus nerve.

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The role of intestinal flora in communication

In addition to the role of nerve conduction and neurotransmitters, intestinal flora also has an effect in the communication between the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system.

The microorganisms that populate our digestive tract have an influence on the enteric system report the good or bad state of the system to the brain, through the modification of the secretion of neurotransmitters. In addition, affects the functioning of the immune system, which in turn generates an indirect effect on behavior and health status.

Various investigations with rodents also show that the functioning of the digestive system and intestinal flora and fauna may even have an effect on behavior through variations on the structure and functioning of the brain, altering responses to certain neurotransmitters.

Effects of communication between the brain and the digestive system

The fact that the brain and the digestive system are connected is of great importance and has very relevant implications. And it is that there is an influence on the part of the digestive system in the cerebral operation, and vice versa.

The presence of intestinal disorders may be linked to aspects such as anxiety, and it has been shown that the presence of anxiety disorders or depressive It can lead to the worsening or even the appearance of digestive problems such as peptic ulcer or irritable bowel.

It has even been detected that some of the microorganisms that cover our digestive system can generate substances antioxidants and anti-inflammatory that can positively affect our brain, stimulating protective cells calls astrocytes and being able to delay neurodegeneration. This may make it interesting to carry out further research on these effects.

But even today it is common that among the various guidelines that are recommended in some mental disorders mentions appear to dietary and nutritional aspects such as a lower consumption of certain substances or the follow-up of diets specific (for example increasing the level of tryptophan consumed, which in turn is related to the secretion of neurotransmitters).

Bibliographic references:

• Guyton, A.C. (2001). Treatise on Medical Physiology. (10th ed), Ed. McGraw-Hill Interamericana.

• Mirre, J.C. (2012). The importance of the second brain. Discovery Health, 147.

• Rothhammer, V. et al. (2016). Type I interferons and microbial metabolites of tryptophan modulate astrocyte activity and central nervous system inflammation via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Nature Medicine, 22; 586-597.