Neurons in the intestinal wall can activate neurons that connect to neurons in the spinal cord. High activity of neurons in the intestinal wall was found, which is a powerful mechanism for transmitting information about what is happening in the intestine to the brain.
Intestinal nervous system
The intestinal nervous system is sometimes referred to as the” second brain”, containing about 500 million neurons and controlling important reflexes such as peristalsis, the contraction of muscles in the intestine to support digestion. The CNS is also responsible for the secretion of digestive enzymes that help break down food.
The CNS is an important part of the gut — brain axis, through which the gut communicates with the brain, and the vagus nerve is particularly important for transmitting information about the gut to the brain. The gut-brain axis performs several functions. Most of the serotonin, a mood-related neurotransmitter, is found in the gut, for example.
The gut’s own nervous system
The intestine is unique among the internal organs in that it has its own nervous system.
The intestine has its own nervous system, which can function independently of the brain or spinal cord. Understanding how the gut interacts with and controls other organs in the body could be an important breakthrough in the treatment of diseases.
Materials and methods of research
It has been studied how neurons work with the help of the colon, which contracts in a cyclical order known as the motor complex of the colon. It is known that viscerofugal neurons are active during this process, but exactly how, until now, was unclear.
The electrical activity of viscerofugal neurons was recorded. The firing of these neurons was associated with changes in the activity of the smooth muscles of the large intestine. The neurons fired very synchronously, which was due to the parallel activation of neurons in the spinal cord. This suggests that viscerofugal neurons transmit activity from the gut nervous system to the sympathetic nervous system — in other words, the spinal cord and brain.
A new study has revealed how viscerofugal neurons provide a pathway for our gut to “sense” what’s going on inside the gut wall, and then transmit this sensory information to other organs, such as the spinal cord and brain, that influence our decisions, mood, and overall well-being.
It was previously thought that activating viscerofugal neurons required changing the circumference of the intestinal wall — for example, by filling the intestine-but this study shows that the process does not require such mechanical activity.
The findings may have clinical implications, as an increasing number of diseases are linked to changes in the gut.
One study, for example, found that men who suffer from constipation are four times more likely to develop the condition.
There is also a growing body of evidence pointing to a link between gut changes and autism, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and stroke, making such studies important for understanding and ultimately treating various neurological conditions.