Strategic Minds Therapy

12/25/2025

While most spend time with their loved ones, a select few stand watch to safeguard our communities.

Thank you to all emergency responders and essential workers for what you do.

Your selfless service allows us to enjoy these precious moments freely. ♥️🤍💙

12/17/2025

🧠🦠 CONCUSSION, THE VAGUS NERVE & THE BRAIN–GUT AXIS:
WHY SEROTONIN, INFLAMMATION & AUTONOMIC BALANCE MATTER MORE THAN YOU’VE BEEN TOLD

When someone suffers a concussion or head injury, the focus is almost always on the brain itself — headaches, dizziness, memory problems, visual strain, brain fog.

But neuroscience is becoming increasingly clear:

👉 The brain does not heal in isolation.
👉 The vagus nerve and the brain–gut axis play a critical role in concussion recovery.

A recent comprehensive review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI) highlights how gut signaling, vagal pathways, serotonin, and neuroimmune responses directly influence brain health, inflammation, mood, cognition, and recovery after neurological injury.

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🔌 The Brain–Gut Axis: A Two-Way Neurological Highway

The brain–gut axis is a bidirectional communication network connecting:

• The brain and brainstem
• The autonomic nervous system
• The immune system
• The gut microbiome
• The endocrine (hormonal) system

At the center of this network sits the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) — the primary sensory highway sending information from the gut to the brain.

💡 Up to 80–90% of vagal fibers are afferent, meaning they carry information from the body to the brain, not the other way around.

This makes the gut one of the most powerful sensory organs influencing brain function.

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🧠 What Happens to the Vagus Nerve After Concussion?

After concussion or head trauma, several things commonly occur:

🔻 Reduced vagal tone
🔻 Autonomic imbalance (sympathetic dominance / “fight-or-flight”)
🔻 Impaired heart rate variability
🔻 Increased neuroinflammation
🔻 Altered gut motility and permeability

This dysregulation can drive persistent post-concussion symptoms, including:

• Nausea and GI upset
• Anxiety and mood changes
• Poor sleep
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Head pressure
• Light and sound sensitivity
• Exercise intolerance

These symptoms are not psychological — they are neurophysiological.

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🦠 The Gut, Inflammation & Brain Injury

The MDPI review highlights that after brain injury:

⚠️ The gut microbiome can become disrupted
⚠️ Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) may increase
⚠️ Immune signaling from the gut can amplify brain inflammation

This is critical because neuroinflammation delays neural recovery and interferes with synaptic plasticity — the brain’s ability to rewire and heal.

The vagus nerve normally helps suppress excessive inflammation via what’s known as the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.

When vagal signaling is impaired, inflammation can remain unchecked.

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🌟 SEROTONIN: THE MISSING LINK MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT

One of the most important — and misunderstood — pieces of the brain-gut axis is serotonin.

🧬 Over 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, not the brain.

Serotonin plays a critical role in:

• Mood regulation
• Sleep–wake cycles
• Pain modulation
• Cognitive flexibility
• Autonomic balance
• Neuroplasticity

Gut-derived serotonin communicates with the brain primarily through the vagus nerve.

After concussion:

🔻 Serotonin signaling can become dysregulated
🔻 Vagal feedback to brainstem nuclei is altered
🔻 Mood changes, anxiety, irritability, and depression may emerge
🔻 Sleep and circadian rhythms are disrupted

This is one reason many post-concussion patients experience emotional and psychological symptoms — even without a prior history.

Again: this is biology, not weakness.

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🧠 Brainstem, Vagus & Higher Brain Centers

The vagus nerve projects directly into the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the brainstem — a key hub that connects to:

• The locus coeruleus
• The raphe nuclei (serotonin centers)
• The hypothalamus
• Limbic and emotional regulation circuits

This means vagal input from the gut can directly influence:

✔️ Arousal and alertness
✔️ Stress responses
✔️ Emotional regulation
✔️ Cognitive clarity
✔️ Recovery capacity

If this system is offline, the brain struggles to regulate itself.

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🩺 Why This Matters at The Functional Neurology Center (FNC)

At FNC, we recognize that persistent concussion symptoms are often driven by network dysfunction, not structural damage alone.

That’s why our approach looks at:

🔹 Autonomic nervous system balance
🔹 Vagal tone and brainstem integration
🔹 Gut–brain signaling
🔹 Inflammatory load
🔹 Neuroplastic recovery pathways

We don’t just ask “Where does it hurt?”
We ask “Which systems are failing to communicate?”

Because restoring communication is how healing happens.

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🧠✨ The Big Takeaway

Concussion is not just a brain injury.
It is a whole-system neurological event.

The vagus nerve and brain-gut axis — especially serotonin signaling — play a central role in:

• Persistent symptoms
• Mood and emotional changes
• Cognitive recovery
• Autonomic regulation
• Long-term brain health

Understanding and addressing these pathways can be the difference between stalled recovery and meaningful healing.

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📩 If you or someone you love is struggling with lingering concussion symptoms, know this:

👉 There is more to the story
👉 There is a physiological explanation
👉 And there is hope

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590



https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/3/1160

Interaction of the Vagus Nerve and Serotonin in the Gut–Brain Axis
by Young Keun Hwang 1ORCID and Jae Sang Oh 1,2,

11/27/2025

11/27/2025

It is impossible to ignore that many people will be observing Thanksgiving this year in a difficult family environment. Survivors of sexual violence are particularly vulnerable, especially with everything going on in our world right now.

No one should have to endure these situations, but we also understand that they are extremely nuanced, and there are many reasons people may still attend these gatherings even though they don't really want to. Here are a few tips to consider if you are anxious about an upcoming event.

While the holidays are about demonstrating our appreciation for others, it is crucial that we continue to prioritize our needs and not sacrifice our well-being to please others. Whether it's a white lie, planning a second celebration, or skipping the event completely, take this post as permission to do what feels best this Thanksgiving.

11/21/2025

If today was a hard day, we're here for you.

Call, text, or chat 988.

11/11/2025

10/06/2025

"If you didn't know him, you really missed out."

"That man's laugh would make your day better."

"One of the best people I've ever known."

"He had an intoxicating laugh that would take over the place."

All things true about Patrick, and all the things we miss.

17 years ago today, just one month shy of his 28th birthday, SGT William Patrick Rudd stepped into the dark and unknown while taking the fight directly to known enemies of the United States of America. He loved being a breacher and being the first one in. SGT Rudd made the ultimate sacrifice when he was killed in a raid that took out the No. 2 al Qaeda leader in Iraq; his final mission was complete. Astonishingly, this was Patrick’s 8th deployment, having served 2 tours in Afghanistan and 5 in Iraq. SGT Rudd completed over 800 combat missions before he was killed in Mosul, Iraq on October 05, 2008.

The first stanza of the Army Ranger Creed states: “Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.” Patrick Rudd lived and died by the Ranger Creed, genuinely wanting to defend his country that he loved so much, no matter what the cost. It was love that called Patrick to be a Ranger and love that drove him to be an outstanding Ranger.

Patrick was a true American hero and his selflessness was for every one of us. Please take time today to remember that your freedom is not free.

09/26/2025

September 26 is Law Enforcement Su***de Awareness Day. It recognizes the service of officers lost to su***de, raises awareness about su***de in law enforcement, and reminds officers that help is available.
Law enforcement officers witness heart-wrenching scenes during an average workday, which can take a toll on their mental health. That is why we must recognize this day and support one another.
If you or someone you know is grappling with suicidal thoughts, you are not alone. You can text BLUE to 741741 or call 1.800.COPLINE (267-5463). Also, the National Su***de and Crisis Lifeline can be accessed by calling or texting 988.

09/25/2025

On behalf of Veterans Overwatch, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the generous support we received for this past weekend’s clinic for veterans and first responders.

Your contributions, along with the hospitality of George and Amanda Williams at Broken Road Stables, LLC & The Adalea, made this event not only possible but truly unforgettable. Our heroes were able to find connection, camaraderie, and healing in a supportive and welcoming environment — an experience they will carry with them long after the clinic.

Robertson Cheatham Farmers CO-OP for the beautiful roundpen.
Broken Road Mounted Search and Rescue Inc
Tami & Mike Taliento Tami McCurdy Taliento
Derek Quick Derek Quick
Dr Laura Coleman Laura Colman, DC
Cayce Brewer Strategic Minds Therapy
Jake Elliot Jake Elliott Pathfinder Counseling Group

Your generosity has a direct impact on the lives of those who have served our communities and our country. Thank you for standing with us in this mission.

09/25/2025

“What is the Difference in Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2?” (2024, Neff, M. A.)

What’s the difference between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2? Learn how symptoms, mood episodes, and severity vary—plus myths and facts about each diagnosis.

09/22/2025

On Wednesday, September 17, our community suffered unimaginable loss due to the crash of an MH-60 from 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne).

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of four Night Stalkers who gave their lives in service to our nation that day.

Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, 35, from Sparta, MO.

Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, 39, from Sanibel, FL.

Sgt. Donavon Scott, 25, from Tacoma, WA.

Sgt. Jadalyn Good, 23, from Mount Vernon, WA.

Because behind each uniform is a story of a person loved deeply and now missed beyond words.

In moments like this, grief is not carried alone. It belongs to all of us.

The families who now face the silence left behind by their loved ones need to know they are surrounded by compassion, respect, and unwavering support.

As we honor the memory of these heroes, we also commit to walking beside their families.

That can mean sharing a kind word, offering a meal, keeping their names and stories alive, or simply showing up in the days and months to come.

Together, we can carry some of the weight of this loss.

Together, we remind these families they are not alone.

“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today.”

That John Maxwell Edmonds epitaph hits home for a community which promises our Soldiers and their families we will never forget.

On behalf of the NSA, we welcome you to join us in honoring their sacrifice and standing in support of their loved ones.

Read and share their stories. Help us let the world know they were more than just a name or a uniform.

And if you’re so inclined to help us support our families and teammates in the months ahead, please reach out to us and we’ll connect you with our team coordinating those efforts.

I serve with the memory and pride of those who have gone before me for they loved to fight, fought to win and would rather die than quit. Night Stalkers Don’t Quit!

And Night Stalkers Don’t Forget.

09/11/2025

🕊️We Remember🕊️

Today marks 24 years since our nation was forever changed.

8:46 a.m. EST – American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower, hitting floors 93 through 99.

9:03 a.m. EST – United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower, hitting floors 77 through 85.

9:37 a.m. EST – American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon, killing all 59 people on board and 125 on the ground.

9:59 a.m. EST – After burning for 56 minutes, the South Tower collapses in just 10 seconds, claiming the lives of more than 800 people in and around the building.

10:03 a.m. EST – United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempt to retake control of the cockpit. All 40 passengers and crew are killed.

10:28 a.m. EST – After burning for 102 minutes, the North Tower collapses, killing more than 1,600 people in and around the building.

The attacks killed 2,977 people from 90 nations: 2,753 people were killed in New York; 184 people were killed at the Pentagon; and 40 people were killed on Flight 93.

Reference: https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/911-investigation