The Brain-Gut Connection

Considering the organs people get sick with, it is not impossible to guess that among them are the brain and the gut. These two play significant roles in the human body. These roles can be independent of each other and interconnected with each other. Therefore, it is important to know these two. We can manage these two organs more carefully by knowing them. While they seem to have differentiation, they also have similar features.

Their similarities start with their appearances and shapes. As for appearances, they both have a complex structure. When they are examined, it is difficult to understand their appearances. As for shapes, they both have a wrinkled shape. What’s more, they are similar to each other in their form of functions. These two get something inside and grind them. For example, the brain gets information and actions and grinds them through filtering. The gut absorbs the nutrients of the food and filters them. Furthermore, some research shows that these two important organs are interconnected with each other. They send each other chemical messages. There is a communication system between them, and it is called the gut-brain axis. Thanks to this system, they affect each other’s health. Dr. Charles Major says “Anything that affects the gut always affects the brain.”. There, the gut is called the second brain. Moreover, they have two parts in common. The brain has two main parts which are called the right cerebral hemisphere and the left cerebral hemisphere. Similarly, the gut has two main parts which are called the large intestine and the small intestine.

Unlike their similarities, firstly they differ from each other in their locations. The brain is located in the head which is the top part of the human body. The gut is located in the stomach which is the middle of the human body, and it runs from the stomach to the anus. The other difference is their motion. The brain has a stable state in the body, unlike the gut. The motion of the gut is called peristalsis which helps it to progress the contents by circular contraction and relaxation action. Moreover, the brain is an organ of the human nervous system. The gut is an organ of the human digestive system. The brain gets information and actions inside and controls thoughts, movements, and the whole human body. The gut absorbs the nutrients and manages to digest them. The other difference is their connection status with other organs of the human body. The brain is connected to whole organs. The gut is connected to the organs of the digestive system and brain. What’s more, the brain has a powerful skull that protects it from injuries and accidents. Unlike the brain, the gut does not have this kind of protective structure.

In a nutshell, the brain and gut which are interconnected with each other have also differentiations. Their location, connection with other organs, motions, and functions differ greatly. Nevertheless, their appearances, shapes, forms of functions, interconnections, and parts show similarities. Comparing these two and learning their connections allows us to be more careful about our health.