Researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Okla, have made significant advances in understanding the complex relationship between the gut and the brain. This relationship has long baffled scientists because it is challenging to gain access to the body's interior.

Researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Okla, have made significant advances in understanding the complex relationship between the gut and the brain. This relationship has long baffled scientists because it is challenging to gain access to the body's interior. The research, "Parieto-occipital ERP indicators of gut mechanosensation in humans", is published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Nature Communications.

The research team successfully had participants swallow a minimally invasive vibrating capsule to measure neural responses during gastrointestinal stimulation, providing a novel approach to study this intricate connection. The capsule was developed by Vibrant Ltd. Participants in the study included healthy adult male and female volunteers ages 18-40. The researchers found that the volunteers were able to sense the stimulation of the vibrating capsule under two conditions: normal and enhanced. The enhanced stimulation condition led to improved perceptual accuracy, faster detection of the stimulation, and reduced variability in reaction time, indicating potential for studying this method in different clinical populations. This is a significant breakthrough as it demonstrates the feasibility of this novel approach to studying gut feelings.