The stomach has a mind – is it something hard to digest? We have heard of organs and organ systems having their own consciousness – a system adopted by Spiritual healing, but a mind? Mind-boggling isn’t it?  Read on.

The human gut is made of a vast network of neurons and nerve cells(500 million- equivalent to a cat’s brain) which is not only used to regulate digestion but also give expression to ‘gut instincts’ that go into determining the sense of satiety after eating. Meaning, apart from triggering muscular contractions, secretion of glands and cells, the nerves are also responsible for sending signals of hunger or fullness to the brain.The nerve cells are present along the esophagus, lining of the stomach, small intestine and the colon. This enteric nervous system of the gut has also been termed as the 'second brain'.
 

The stomach has a mind – The Research by Nestle
In a bid to combat obesity which is rampant in the United States and now, with its rising incidence in Middle east, Asia and Europe, scientists at  Nestle are endeavoring to come out with foods that would actually trick the “gut-brain” This is being done by studying the triggers sent by the neurons from various stimuli they receive. For instance, French fries made in regular oil may not make the stomach feel full but some other oil-base can do the trick,. The neurotransmitters used by the gut –brain are similar to those used by the central nervous system – serotonin and dophamine.The focus of research by the Scientists is to decipher the code, which means satiety and one which is sent to the brain.

To simulate the gastrointestinal tract of human and to demonstrate that the stomach does have a mind, Nestle’s Research and development center has set up a machine the size of a refrigerator. From the contractions of the stomach to churning the food, to the release of chemicals in the way of enzymes and hormones and others, the machine follows the human digestive make-up intricately. It has been found that several factors contribute to curb the hunger sensation – the presence of food in the stomach, the flow of nutrients to the blood, when the gut brain sends neural signals to the big brain of being  “full”. Then there is the illeal break mechanism, where peptides are released into the blood by the small intestine to break down the excess fat, which gets pushed down the intestine. This again makes the stomach send the “satiety signal”.
The Food biophysicists of Nestle have long before worked on the “stomach does have a mind” premise. With olive oil they first measured the time taken to digest the oil in its natural state. Then the oil was coated with a compound called monglyceride, which formed a protective coating around the oil molecules. The artificial gut machine took eight times longer to digest the oil molecules, meaning that the small intestine released peptides and also triggered the gut brain to send satiety signals.

The stomach has a mind and Food giants, with Nestle at the forefront are spearheaded to come out with satiety inducing foods, to strike a balance between hunger and satiety. But research has to delve further into food science to thoroughly understand the multifaceted working of the gut brain. Nestle’s multi-pronged approach is determined to crack the different codes of neurotransmitters from the gut to the brain and pave way for a healthy living.

Photo Courtesy:ibsresearchupdate.org