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{our second brain} jonathan bitz Research has poured more credence to the term, “gut feeling”. Within the last eleven years, experts in Germany and United Stated, including Dr. Michael Gershon (author of The Second Brain) have confirmed that we do, indeed, have a second brain – in our gut. While examining a piece of intestine Dr. Gershon discovered two layers of nerve cells (around 100 billion, more than is in our spinal cord), akin to those found in the brain. Known as the enteric nervous system, these nerve cells are located in the tissue lining the oesophagus, small intestine, colon and stomach. The concretization of the notion that we actually do have a brain in our gut came with the discovery of a multitude of substances in the gut – that are also found in the brain. Included are the major neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate and nitric oxide. Dr. Gershon has stated that over 95% of the serotonin produced in our body actually resides in our gut – where it assists in digestion. Researchers have confirmed that there is substantial influence on the brain, from the cellular information produced in the gut. For example, the notion of “butterflies” is a perfect illustration of our primary mind, in our head, relaying information to our gut (namely, the emotion of anxiety). Often people follow their gut reactions, without fully understanding why they should. Now, the fact that our gut is acting as a second brain – should substantiate the decisions that we make in the face of this kind of emotion. Taking this one step further and the hypothesis then reaches into notions of intuition. Traditionally we have linked the idea of a “gut feeling” with an intuitive feeling – one that we often follow, without knowing why. This alone could explain issues of non-rational decision-making, or blind-decisions. And while it is debatable, females have traditionally pegged as “the more intuitive creatures”. Does this simply mean that their second brain is more-developed? |
