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The Second Brain: The Scientific Basis of Gut Instinct and a Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine
 
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The Second Brain: The Scientific Basis of Gut Instinct and a Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine (Hardcover)

by Michael D. Gershon (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins (30 Sep 1998)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0060182520
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060182526
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16.3 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 732,661 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description
After 30 years of research, Dr. Michael Gershon's work has made clear that the human gut actually has a brain of its own (a bundle of nerve cells located in the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine). This second nervous system comes complete with a network of more than 100 million neurons and neurotransmitters with a complex circuitry that enables it to control the bowel and, as the saying goes, produce "gut feelings" separate from the brain's impulses. Dr. Gershon's research has implications for treating heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome as well as relieving the debilitating side effects (nausea, diarrhea, and constipation) of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases and drugs such as Prozac or similar antidepressants.

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2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read. Plenty of human interest & bio science, 6 Jan 1999
By A Customer
From the author who founded neurogastroenterology. Gershon gets pretty technical, but even a layman (like me) is drawn into his interesting subject. The book chronicles his thirty years of research into the "second brain": the independent nerve mass literally in the gut. Probably most doctors today aren't aware of this whole type of nervous system even though its presence was discovered decades ago. (This is why digestion is not affected by spinal injuries.) Somehow this body of knowledge was forgotton by medicine. 'Eclipsed' is the word the author uses. Gershon "rediscovered" the existence of the second brain and began doing research in the 1960s about the affect of neurotransmitters (like serotonin) and their effect on this bowel brain. In the process of his narrative he explains how different chemicals (like Prozac, LSD, adrenaline, acetylcholine, puffer fish toxin, etc) can affect the brain and the sympathetic and peripheral nervous systems. He also discusses diseases like Alzheimer's, etc. The best part of the book is the author's personal family stories which he weaves into his narration. I was very touched by the story of his mother's death from a bleeding ulcer, surgery and subsequent stroke, and Alzheimers. The only problem with the book is that it is at once too long and too short. Too long because sometimes it gets too technical and was a little hard for me to stay interested and excited. Too short because in spite of covering thirty years of research the story is only a prologue. It's part one and part two remains in the future. What are the implications of the second brain? Will knowledge of how it works help cure diseases? We begin with a monumental reawakening. A re-acknowledgement that the second brain is there. What it means we still don't yet know. We have learned that ulcers are caused by viruses. That some depression may be depression of the bowel brain. That Alzheimers effects both brains. But we don't know if problems with intra-brain communication can cause illness. Have we been treating the wrong brain? Can autism and Parkinson's disease be better treated by concentrating on the gut brain? So much promise for the future, yet still a lack of answers. I finished the book feeling a little incomplete.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars This book needs an index., 4 May 1999
By A Customer
This book is timely. Example: amusing comments on the "antacid wars" on TV. The book is crammed with astounding information and remains readable. However, if one forgets what the LES is, the only way to find out is by flipping pages. The lack of an index is inexcusable. The editors should hang their heads in shame. I'm going to wait until they turn on their computers and compile an index before I buy this book. Too bad!
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