Who hasn't used "take it with your guts," "digest an emotion," or "know it with your guts?" Every day, we say the tummy is our brain, making decisions. According to scientists, we have multiple brains, including the stomach!
Over the past few years, brain research has advanced greatly. We are gradually losing the belief that our brains regulate our bodies and crucial activities.
For a long time, we thought the brain was the body's principal organ because of its many neural connections. Scientists found that the heart has around 40,000 neurons, making it a crucial neuronal nebula.
Even better, the intestines have about 100 million neurons—a thousand times more than the brain! Our stomach would have a brain function if it could convey information via the neural network.
It is unclear which brain centre is dominant, but scientists have found few connections between the stomach and the central brain, suggesting that these two areas act independently.
Biological professionals led the development of the decentralised brain concept. The central authority sending commands to components is gradually replaced by local authorities with their own components.
"The intestines defend against harmful germs in addition to digesting and nutritional absorption. It makes sense that evolution gave us a brain for these survival functions. All these functions require so many nerve cells that if directed from the skull, the neural cables for all these connections would be too thick. Letting the intestines handle it is safer and more effective.”
Our stomach is a portal to the outside world and governs poisons we can eat. In terms of time and energy, letting the intestines handle things is better for the body.
In addition to controlling these critical activities, the belly appears to concentrate nerve transmission neurons and neurotransmitters like the central brain. We would detect significant dopamine (well-being hormone) synthesis in the intestines and 95% of body serotonin.
The centre brain controls conscious and unconscious functions like logic, language, and muscular commands. However, the stomach would have the necessary neural complexity for unconscious psychological activity. They can receive sensory inputs, respond with exact sensations, and compare with past memories.
Could this explain stomach-based emotions? Burping, cramping, constipation, diarrhoea... These may be gut psychological responses to powerful emotions.
Besides absorbing and processing food, the stomach would also eliminate and manage our emotions. The stomach is important, so why not utilise massage and relaxation techniques to assist it release the emotions that weigh on it?