The Gut, The Brain, Inflammation, and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Our gut works hard for us. It is comprised of tons of tiny microbes that work to keep the balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria in check. This allows us for proper digestion! We may not realize that our digestion and gut bacteria go way beyond just the confines of our gut.

The bacteria in our gut work towards helping our immune system. It aids in fighting off invading pathogens that enter our body. In fact, it’s been shown that proper gut balance is vital to our brain function and development through being directly tied to the central nervous system. The Vagus Nerve is a major component of the gut-brain axis and ties the two systems together. This direct communication with the brain opens the door to neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorder, and more.

This gut-brain signaling is also huge in developing inflammatory conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our whole body connects through our nervous system. If we aren’t allowing our nervous system to operate properly, we feel those symptoms of dysfunction. So, it’s important to make sure that this communication pathway is as optimally functioning as possible. This includes ensuring the gut brain connection is as healthy as possible!

Suganya, K., & Koo, B. (2020). Gut–Brain Axis: Role of Gut

Microbiota on Neurological Disorders and How Probiotics/Prebiotics Beneficially Modulate Microbial and Immune Pathways to Improve Brain Functions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(20), 7551. doi:10.3390/ijms21207551