(NewsNation) — When a person talks about the sixth sense, the assumption is that they are talking about the 1999 blockbuster film with Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, where Osment says he can see and talk to the dead.
But what if the sixth sense was actually in someone’s gut? New research says it is.
Researchers found communication between the gut and the brain has evolved to be categorized as a new and distinct sense, one capable of affecting a person’s appetite or mood. The link between the body parts was previously associated with several health issues.
“We were curious whether the body could sense microbial patterns in real time and not just as an immune or inflammatory response, but as a neural response that guides behavior in real time,” said Diego Bohórquez, a neuroscientist.
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The researchers zeroed in on flagellin — found in gut bacteria — and distributed it to small mice. They were able to identify mechanisms connecting gut bacteria and the brain, resulting from colon cells called neuropods.
“Looking ahead, I think this work will be especially helpful for the broader scientific community to explain how our behavior is influenced by microbes,” Bohórquez added.
The research also revealed that gut bacteria, along with nutrients, stretch receptors, and hormones can contribute directly to one’s ability to control their appetite.
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