Our bodies host trillions of microbes, a collection of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that starts developing at birth and is unique to each of us. These microorganisms can communicate with our brains to regulate bodily functions and even influence our mood, as well as chronic conditions such as anxiety, through chemical communication pathways known as the gut-brain axis.
HOW THEY COMMUNICATE
VIA BLOODSTREAM AND NERVES Chemicals released by microbes into nerves or the bloodstream influence brain areas that deal with memory. Chemicals in the bloodstream can also signal the limbic system —a brain area that processes emotion and stress— to change our moods.
THROUGH THE VAGUS NERVE The vagus nerve supports pathways of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to promote a state of equilibrium in the body. Sensory neurons receive chemical signals from gut microbes and relay them up this primary signaling path between gut and brain. The brain sends back signals that modify function, such as tempering an inflammatory response so the gut will keep working even if a person is sick.
USING THE ‘SECOND BRAIN’ Microbes can bypass communicating with the brain and directly signal the enteric nervous system —a meshlike network of neurons in the digestive tract, sometimes called the second brain— to independently influence gut movements and secretions.
Here’s The Really Amazing Thing: Every One Of Us Has A Particular Mix Of Microbes That’s Different From Everyone Else’s.
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