The stomach affects the mood

A study from Aarhus University (Denmark) and the German Institute of Human Nutrition demonstrates that important signals come from inside the body — from the stomach itself. Its electrical oscillations, called the “gastric rhythm,” synchronize with certain areas of the brain responsible for attention and emotion control.

It turned out that this synchronization is not always a blessing. An analysis of the data of 243 volunteers showed that the stronger the stomach keeps in contact with the brain, the more often people experienced anxiety, depression, stress, and a deterioration in overall psychological well-being. It turns out that the internal rhythms of our body are capable of both maintaining and undermining emotional balance.

To trace this unusual dialogue, the researchers used a combination of methods: functional MRI to record brain activity and gastric electromyography to track its signals. At the same time, the participants took tests, describing their psychoemotional states in detail. It was the comparison of these data that revealed a clear relationship.

It has been proposed to call this phenomenon the “axial stomach–brain interaction.” It sounds complicated, but the point is simple: if there is a malfunction in this system, emotions lose their stability. In the long term, this may help explain the mechanisms of anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as suggest new treatment options through restoring harmony between the body and the brain.

“Emotions are born not only in the head. They are woven into the work of internal organs,” the authors of the experiment note. And this fact reverses the usual understanding of mental health, bringing us closer to a more holistic view of a person as a single system of mind and body.