Have you ever received the “go with your gut” advice? It’s equivalent to “trust your instincts” when making a decision as opposed to using your brain (where neurons reside). We might want to reconsider the use of this idiom.

The rumors about a second brain located in our bodies might actually be truer than initially thought. And the reasonably new field of neurogastroenterology is in charge of elucidating the connection between our guts and our brains via neurons. Our guts are actually lined with a neuronal network. This neuronal lining is not only linked to digestive responsibilities. It is connected with the brain neuronal network and could play an important role in health and disease. The GI processes involve signaling via neurotransmitters such as serotonin. And this serotonin, separate from the one secreted in our brain, could have a say in a number of processes ranging from mood disorders to bone regulation. Are there unknown communication channels between the neurons in the brain and those in the GI? Are they independent or synchronized? What processes do they regulate and how exactly?. What is their role?. All these are interesting questions and hopefully, their unraveling will shed light on these “gutty” neurons and their role.