In recent years, the study of the causes and treatments of depression has revealed some correlation with the microbiota in the body's digestive system.
The hypothesis is that the presence or absence of healthy digestive bacteria affects the way the brain works, and new research by a neuroscientist at Florida State University gives more information about this.
Linda Rinaman's conclusions:
Linda Rinaman is a professor of research and psychology at Florida State University. Through this research, she highlights a very important link between the gut and the brain, identifying pathways that help to understand why so-called "intuitions" powerfully influence emotions, mood, and decision-making.
"We expect these lines of research to help us better understand how gastrointestinal functions contribute to normal or disturbed mental functions," says Linda Rinaman.
His research was to examine the gut-to-brain pathways in mammals, noting how the feelings generated in the gut move in the brain, indicating that certain "intestinal feelings" (or intuitions) are a warning sign and can thus be a good indicator of healthy mood and mental state.
In the human body, the vagus nerve acts as the pathway between the brain and the intestine. It is the largest and most extensive nerve in the body. It translates and carries messages between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain.
If the bowel works optimally, the brain is called to respond more positively. Food and appropriate supplementation are important factors to consider in this setting.
Scientific and anecdotal evidence suggests that a poor diet can cause these protective and warning signals to drift, leading to a change in mood and behavior.
For example, a high-fat diet may promote a low-grade inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract, altering vagal signals, and possibly exacerbating symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other disturbed mental states.
Rinaman explains that the types of bacteria in our gut are shaped by our diet, and that these bacteria can affect your emotional and cognitive state. "