Tag: neuroinflammation and mood

The idea that the gut is home to a "second brain" might once have sounded more like science fiction than science, but modern research has brought this concept into the realm of medical and psychological reality. Within the intricate systems of the human body, the enteric nervous system (ENS) – a vast network of neurons embedded in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract – is now understood to play a crucial role in regulating not only digestion but also emotion, cognition, and behavior. Often referred to as the second brain, this system may hold the key to understanding a wide range of mental health conditions, from anxiety and depression to stress-related disorders. In this article, we explore how the gut second brain influences mental health and what the growing body of scientific evidence reveals about the importance of the gut-brain connection