Can the Bacteria in Our Gut Affect Our Brains?
Are you feeling depressed or sometimes even anxious? Unable to focus? Do you know that there is a bidirectional communication between your gut and your brain? Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of Pathology and Cell Biology, believes that humans have a second brain in the gut. The human gut is also linked to more than 100 million nerve cells, which is more than the spinal cord or in the peripheral nervous system. Yes, we also have brain cells in our large intestines, which explains why antibiotics, when disturbing the gut microbial ecosystem, cause neuropsychiatric effects, or influence our mood. It also explains why mood disorders are prevalent in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Chemically implicated hormones like serotonin, which can cause depression as well as happiness, can also be found in the gut. Almost 90% of serotonin is manufactured in the digestive tract. Many antidepressants also work by increasing the serotonin level. Some researchers have also found that gut bacteri...