16/12/2025
Did you know?
The gastrointestinal tract is controlled by its own network of nerves, called the enteric nervous system.
This system works largely on its own and manages key gut functions such as movement, digestion, blood flow, and local immune activity. At the same time, it stays in constant contact with the brain through multiple signaling pathways.
What many people don’t realize is how large this system actually is.
The enteric nervous system contains hundreds of millions of neurons. Most scientific estimates place it between 200 and 600 million neurons, which is comparable to or even more than the number found in the spinal cord.
This is why the gut is often called the body’s “second brain”, not as a metaphor, but because of its real biological complexity and independence.
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