Did you know that hitting your head can cause changes in your gut within 6 hours that can seriously affect your health?! Why is that you might say? Today we review two papers that connect the brain and the gut via the brain-gut axis. The first paper discusses the break down of the lining of the gut within 6 hours of a brain injury in mice. This is a well documented interaction and the literature shows that it can happen within 2 hours of a brain injury. This paper discusses the breakdown of the gap junctions between the cells of the lining of the gut which is a complex hormonal and neuronal interaction. Basically, what we see is that the brain controls the body through the nervous system. The nervous system controls the hormonal system or endocrine system. The endocrine system also has a feedback system which can signal and change the way the brain functions via hormones and signals in the bloodstream. The gut is the second largest area of neuron activity in the body next to the brain. When the brain is effected in a mild traumatic brain injury, the neurons firing in the brain that control the gut through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system start to breakdown. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is the “fight or flight” and “rest or digest” part of the nervous system which is what drives the internal function of the automatic systems of the body. So, when the head or neck is injured in a trauma, it immediately affects the functions of the whole body via the central nervous system and hormones. Upper Cervical chiropractic care focuses on the connection between the brain and the body via the upper cervical spine, which is a conduit for the central nervous system to communicate to the body. Upper Cervical chiropractors are able to balance the top two neck bones gently without any manipulation. In turn the normal physiology returns to the body over time. Call our office today to find out more 603.380.9184
The second paper focuses on the Vagus nerve and its strong connection to almost every internal function of the body. The vagus nerve is what is called a cranial nerve and starts right at the base of the brain in the brain stem and winds its way down through every organ, including the lungs, the heart, the stomach, and the kidneys. The vagus nerve is the brakes for the internal function of most of these organ systems and the vagus nerve lies directly in front of the top neck bone, also known as the atlas vertebra. There are many cases that we have seen in the office where the internal function of the body is greatly impacted by balancing the upper cervical spine gently back into place. And in return, the body’s internal function balances, including: gut health, stomach health, and heart health. If you have questions about these complex interactions, call today to find out if upper cervical chiropractic care may be a good fit for you. Call our office at 603.380.9184
Traumatic brain injury and intestinal dysfunction: uncovering the nuero-enteric axis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989839/
The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous system.
