Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 402887

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Meds and stomach - the second brain

Posted by saw on October 14, 2004, at 4:13:59

Interesting article
Sabrina

"The Second Brain
“Have you ever wondered why people get butterflies in the stomach before going on stage? Or why an impending job interview can cause an attack of intestinal cramps? And why do antidepressants targeted for the brain cause nausea or abdominal upset in millions of people who take such drugs? The reason for these common experiences is because each of us literally has two brains—the familiar one encased in our skulls and a lesser-known but vitally important one found in the human gut. Like Siamese twins, the two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset, the other does, too.” So writes science journalist Sandra Blakeslee for the New York Times. Indeed, the human digestive tract contains over one million nerve cells, about the same number found in the spinal cord. There are actually more nerve cells in the overall digestive system than in the peripheral nervous system. Furthermore, major neurotransmitters found in the brain—including serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine and nitric oxide—occur plentifully in the gut as well. Enkephalins—described as the body’s natural opiates—also occur in the intestinal tract, as do benzodiazepines, psychoactive chemicals similar to mood-controlling drugs like Valium and Xanax.
Jordan Rubin describes the “brain-gut” connection very well in his book The Maker’s Diet:
“ Early in our embryogenesis, a collection of tissue called the ‘neural crest’ appears and divides during fetal development. One part turns into the central nervous system, and the other migrates to become the enteric nervous system. Both ‘thinking machines’ form simultaneously and independently of one another until a later stage of development.
“Then the two nervous systems link through a neural cable called the “vagus nerve,” the longest of all cranial nerves. . . The vagus nerve “wanders” from the brain stem through the organs in the neck and thorax and finally terminates in the abdomen. This is your vital brain-gut connection.”
Serotonin in the gut is thought to initiate peristalsis, the rhythmic movement of food through the digestive tract. Drugs like Prozac actually divert serotonin from the intestinal tract to the brain, leading to digestive problems including constipation in many patients.
The gut produces the same pain-alleviating chemicals as those in antianxiety drugs. Says Rubin, “If you overeat because you feel anxious, your body may be trying to use the extra food to produce more benzodiazepines. We are not sure whether the gut synthesizes benzodiazepine from chemicals in our foods, from bacterial actions or from both. We do know that extreme pain appears to put the gut into overdrive in order to send benzodiazepine directly to the brain for immediate pain management.”

 

Re: Meds and stomach - the second brain

Posted by jboud24 on October 14, 2004, at 19:17:00

In reply to Meds and stomach - the second brain, posted by saw on October 14, 2004, at 4:13:59

Benzodiazepines do not occur naturally in the human body. They were developed by Roche pharmaceuticals as a reaction by-product while searching for a completely different series of compounds.

But GABA does appear throughout the body and acts as the body's inhibitory neurotransmitter in addition to glycine and serotonin.

 

Re: Meds and stomach - the second brain

Posted by Jasmineneroli on October 17, 2004, at 14:21:50

In reply to Re: Meds and stomach - the second brain, posted by jboud24 on October 14, 2004, at 19:17:00

Sabrina:
Although some of that article is inaccurate on which chemicals are in the gut...it's true that some neuro-transmitters are neuro-hormones and ciruclate in various parts of the body, including the GI tract. Serotonin and histamine are the big ones.
It's really interesting, because I've always considered myself as a "gut" thinker and a "gut" reactor and most of my anxiety is first felt there, before my "head" feels it!! Maybe the receptors there are much quicker at picking up messages than the brain (which has to interpret the messages too)?? I do feel like I've got 2 brains!!!! But the gut one is simple a reptilian, reactive brain :).
Just more stuff to think about. Love it!
Thanks.
Jas


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