Do Humans have two brains ?

Every item we see has its mini size nowadays. Mini oranges, mini ice-cream cones and mini oreos and what not. But it is surprising to know that we might have a mini brain too. You might have heard of gut feeling. Scientists have found that this gut feeling plays a role as a second brain. 

One of the brain's primary functions is regulating moods, emotions and well being. Apart from the resemblance of function, the mass of neural tissue in our gut produces over 30 different neurotransmitters, which are signaling molecules typically associated with the brain.Scientists have given this system a name called the enteric system. 

The two brains are connected via the vagus nerve which is the longest nerve in the body. The vagus nerve serves as a bidirectional information highway, with the brain and gut sending messages to each other within the order of milliseconds. But the vagus nerve is not the only way communication happens.  Our guts are home to trillions of bacteria and microbes that inhabit the intestines and form the gut microbiota. The gut microbiome is so enormous that there are 100,000 times more microbes in your gut than there are people on earth. This network also helps in the communication between the two brains. 

One interesting fact to know is that 90% of the neurons in the vagus nerve are actually carrying information from the gut to the brain, not the other way around. This means the signals generated in the gut can massively influence the brain. Thus we can say that our diet can be directly related to our mood swings. A recent study reported that a significant number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease also suffered from depression and anxiety. This opens a new door for treating many brain disorders. 

To end on this note, next time when you have a gut feeling listen to it as it is your second brain which is responding.