Revealing the logic of the body's `second brain'
Scientists discover new science in the gut and, potentially, new leads on
how to treat irritable bowel syndrome and other disorders

Date:
October 1, 2021
Source:
Michigan State University
Summary:
Researchers have made a surprising discovery about the human gut's
enteric nervous system that itself is filled with surprising
facts. For starters, there's the fact that this 'second brain'
exists at all.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at Michigan State University have made a surprising discovery
about the human gut's enteric nervous system that itself is filled with surprising facts. For starters, there's the fact that this "second brain" exists at all.


========================================================================== "Most people don't even know that they have this in their guts," said
Brian Gulbransen, an MSU Foundation Professor in the College of Natural Science's Department of Physiology.

Beyond that, the enteric nervous system is remarkably independent:
Intestines could carry out many of their regular duties even if they
somehow became disconnected from the central nervous system. And the
number of specialized nervous system cells, namely neurons and glia,
that live in a person's gut is roughly equivalent to the number found
in a cat's brain.

"It's like this second brain in our gut," Gulbransen said. "It's
an extensive network of neurons and glia that line our intestines."
Neurons are the more familiar cell type, famously conducting the nervous system's electrical signals. Glia, on the other hand, are not electrically active, which has made it more challenging for researchers to decipher
what these cells do. One of the leading theories was that glial cells
provide passive support for neurons.

Gulbransen and his team have now shown that glial cells play a much
more active role in the enteric nervous system. In research published
online on Oct. 1 in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
the Spartans revealed that glia act in a very precise way to influence
the signals carried by neuronal circuits. This discovery could help pave
the way for new treatments for intestinal illness that affects as much
as 15% of the U.S. population.



========================================================================== "Thinking of this second brain as a computer, the glia are the chips
working in the periphery," Gulbransen said. "They're an active part of
the signaling network, but not like neurons. The glia are modulating
or modifying the signal." In computing language, the glia would be the
logic gates. Or, for a more musical metaphor, the glia aren't carrying
the notes played on an electric guitar, they're the pedals and amplifiers modulating the tone and volume of those notes.

Regardless of the analogy, the glia are more integral to making sure
things are running smoothly -- or sounding good -- than scientists
previously understood.

This work creates a more complete, albeit more complicated picture of
how the enteric nervous system works. This also creates new opportunities
to potentially treat gut disorders.

"This is a ways down the line, but now we can start to ask if there's a
way to target a specific type or set of glia and change their function
in some way," Gulbransen said. "Drug companies are already interested in
this." Earlier this year, Gulbransen's team found that glia could open
up new ways to help treat irritable bowel syndrome, a painful condition
that currently has no cure and affects 10% to 15% of Americans. Glia
could also be involved in several other health conditions, including gut motility disorders, such as constipation, and a rare disorder known as
chronic intestinal pseudo- obstruction.

"Right now, there's no known cause. People develop what looks like
an obstruction in the gut, only there's no physical obstruction,"
Gulbransen said.

"There's just a section of their gut that stops working.

Although he stressed that science isn't at the point to deliver treatments
for these problems, it is better equipped to probe and understand them
more fully.

And Gulbransen believes that MSU is going to be a central figure in
developing that understanding.

"MSU has one of the best gut research groups in the world. We have this
huge, diverse group of people working on all the major areas of gut
science" he said.

"It's a real strength of ours." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Michigan_State_University. Original
written by Matt Davenport. Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Mohammad M. Ahmadzai, Luisa Seguella, Brian D. Gulbransen. Circuit-
specific enteric glia regulate intestinal motor neurocircuits.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021; 118 (40):
e2025938118 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025938118 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211001130230.htm

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