What is the gut-brain axis?

By Jane Foster, PhD

The gut-brain axis in simple terms refers to the biological systems that connect the body’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the brain. Gut-brain communication is bidirectional, continual, and plays an important role in gut and mental health. The gut-brain axis includes the gastrointestinal tract, the microbes that reside in our GI tract, the enteric nervous system that wraps the GI tract and regulates gut homeostasis and physiology, the neural connections between our body and our brain, and the immune system.