The enteric nervous system that regulates our gut is often called the body’s “second brain.” Although it cannot solve problems like the brain, this extensive network uses the same chemicals and cells ...

The enteric nervous system (ENS) comprises an extensive network of neurons and glia embedded within the gut wall, regulating motility, secretion and blood flow. It operates semi-autonomously yet ...

The enteric nervous system (ENS) comprises an extensive network of neurons and glia embedded within the gastrointestinal wall that governs motility, secretion and blood flow. In neurodegenerative ...

New research has discovered how the enteric nervous system -- or 'second brain' -- can communicate with both the brain and spinal cord, which up until now had remained a major mystery. The study found ...

Sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids activate distinct subsets of intestinal neurons, revealing how the gut responds to different food components. Renaming PCOS to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian ...

Ramnik Xavier, MD, PhD, of the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the senior author of a paper published in Science, "Regional encoding of enteric nervous system ...

At first glance, “trusting your gut” may seem intuitive, irrational, or even unscientific. However, science confirms that the digestive system is indeed “sensitive”; it contains its own autonomic ...

A recent Nutrients study investigates the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics on the neuronal population in the porcine jejunum. Study: Oral Exposure to Microplastics Affects the ...

A still image of a three-dimensional view of the enteric nervous system. This is the first time a three-dimensional view of this part of the colon has been captured by any imaging technique.

How the 'second brain' – the enteric nervous system in our gut—communicates with our first brain has been one of the most challenging questions faced by enteric neuroscientists, until now. New ...