Going with your gut cont'd

The Wall Street Journal has another fascinating article on the relationship between your gut and the rest of your body, this time looking at its effects on mental health. First, they point out a correlation in gut and mental health problems.

Many people with psychiatric and brain conditions also report gastrointestinal issues. New research indicates problems in the gut may cause problems in the brain, just as a mental ailment, such as anxiety, can upset the stomach.

 More fascinating, they point out the role the gut plays in developing important neurotrasnsmitters.

Dr. Gershon, professor of pathology and cell biology at Columbia, has been studying how the gut controls its behavior and that of other organs by investigating the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Low serotonin levels in the brain are known to affect mood and sleep. Several common antidepressants work by raising levels of serotonin in the brain.

Yet about 95% of the serotonin in the body is made in the gut, not in the brain, says Dr. Gershon. Serotonin and other neurotransmitters produced by gut neurons help the digestive track push food through the gut.

 Read the whole thing here.