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gut-brain axis

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 13, 2018·4 min read

‘Gut Instinct’ May Have Been the GPS of Human Ancestors

Researchers have discovered another purpose for the gut-brain axis; relaying information to the hippocampus to store information about our environment and location.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2018·7 min read

‘Gut Sense’ is Hardwired, Not Hormonal

Researchers report appetite signals cross a single synapse in under 100 milliseconds, relaying information from the gut to the brain much quicker than previously thought.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 29, 2018·4 min read

‘Second Brain’ Neurons Keep Colon Moving

A new study reveals how neurons in the GI tract coordinate activity to propel waste through the digestive system.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 23, 2025·4 min read

“Neurobiotic Sense” Tells Brain When You’ve Had Enough

Scientists have discovered a “neurobiotic sense” — a newly identified system where the gut sends real-time signals from microbes to the brain to help regulate appetite. Specialized cells called neuropods in the colon detect a bacterial protein, flagellin, and signal the brain via the vagus nerve to suppress eating.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 26, 2021·4 min read

A Gut Bacteria That Improves Memory in Bees

A species of gut bacteria called Lactobacillus apis has been linked to enhanced memory and cognition in bumblebees.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·November 1, 2022·4 min read

A Gut-Brain Connection for Social Development

Healthy microbes in the gut encourage synaptic pruning in brain circuits associated with social behavior. Previous research has linked both poor synaptic pruning and gut health to neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD. The new findings could pave the way for treatments for disorders associated with social behavior deficits.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 15, 2020·4 min read

A gut-to-brain circuit drives sugar preference and may explain sugar cravings

Sweet tasting foods don't only trigger the taste buds, they also switch on a neurological pathway that begins in the gut. In the intestines, signals of sugar ingestion travel to the brain, sparking an appetite for more sweet foods. However, this pathway only responds to sugars, not artificial sweeteners.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 14, 2022·7 min read

A Microbial Compound in the Gut Leads to Anxious Behaviors in Mice

A small-molecule metabolite produced by gut bacteria in mice, can travel to the brain and alter brain cell function, inducing anxiety behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 13, 2023·5 min read

A Novel, Powerful Tool to Unveil the Communication Between Gut Microbes and the Brain

Researchers develop a novel tool that allows for the study of the communication of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract and the brain.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 23, 2019·4 min read

A possible gut-brain connection to ‘chemo brain’

Manipulating gut bacteria in mice before chemotherapy reduces the mental fog of "chemo brain."

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 2, 2024·6 min read

Activating Brain-Gut Connection with Light Reduces Depression

A new study reveals how photobiomodulation, a non-invasive light therapy, effectively treats cognitive impairments caused by chronic stress by targeting the brain-gut axis. This innovative approach was shown to significantly improve conditions in lab animal models.