The Second Brain : The Scientific Basis of Gut Instinct and a Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines

Did you ever tell someone that they think with their stomach? Then you're on the cutting edge of scientific thought, according to researcher Michael D. Gershon. The title of his book The Second Brain refers to the hundred million nerve cells in and around our guts that often act entirely independently of the dictator inside our heads. This isn't so bad--there are some meals we'd rather not have to think about eating, much less digesting. Gershon tells us the stories of his development into a scientist, his determination to promote neurogastroenterology as a legitimate field of research, and the nature of "the brain gone south," all with humor and aplomb.

Though not for the overly squeamish (after all, even if Gershon were to pull his punches, his subject still carries traces of old taboos), The Second Brain is a lively and invigorating read. The illustrations are superb and well labeled; this complements the text, which ranges from clinical to personal, as when the author details the events leading to his mother's tragic death following unnecessary surgery for an ulcer. The interactions between the enteric nervous system and digestion, emotion, and disease are not simple, but Gershon's patient prose explains everything in terms any interested layperson can understand.

As in the best scientific works, The Second Brain informs and inspires, surprising the reader with unexpected complexities and mysteries arising in such a seemingly primitive venue. It makes excellent after-dinner reading. --Rob Lightner

“Persuasive, impassioned... hopeful news [for those] suffering from functional bowel disease.”  — New York Times Book Review

Dr. Gershon’s groundbreaking book fills the gap between what you need to know—and what your doctor has time to tell you.

Dr. Michael Gershon has devoted his career to understanding the human bowel (the stomach, esophagus, small intestine, and colon). His thirty years of research have led to an extraordinary rediscovery: nerve cells in the gut that act as a brain. This "second brain" can control our gut all by itself. Our two brains—the one in our head and the one in our bowel—must cooperate. If they do not, then there is chaos in the gut and misery in the head—everything from "butterflies" to cramps, from diarrhea to constipation. Dr. Gershon's work has led to radical new understandings about a wide range of gastrointestinal problems including gastroenteritis, nervous stomach, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Second Brain represents a quantum leap in medical knowledge and is already benefiting patients whose symptoms were previously dismissed as neurotic or "it's all in your head."

Gershon, who has been called the father of neurogastroenterology and is professor of anatomy and cell biology at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, has devoted his career to basic research on the nervous system of the gut. His fascination with this "second brain" is boundless, and he strives mightily to share his enthusiasm. With analogies and simple line drawings, good humor and a story-teller's love of character and plot, he describes how knowledge about the little-known enteric nervous system has been uncovered. To appreciate the wonder of this second brain, one must grasp the complexity of the system it runs, and Gershon tackles that subject in considerable detail?indeed, probably more detail than the general reader requires. While the particulars of research conducted in his and other neurobiologists' labs is also likely to overwhelm the nonbiologist, general readers will appreciate the implications of that research. As understanding emerges of how the second brain controls the behavior of the bowel, real progress is coming in the prevention, treatment and control of the belly's woes. To millions of sufferers of such diseases as heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome, this will be welcome information.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The nature of a so-called second brain in the gut is revealed in exquisite detail by a neurogastroenterologist who has spent some 30 years researching the subject. Gershon, professor of anatomy and cell biology at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, is enthralled by the sophistication of the enteric nervous system. He calls this system, which operates the bowel, a second brain, pointing out that it contains all the classes of neurotransmitters found in the brain. For nonbiologists entering his world, a whole new vocabulary with terms like neural crest, 5-HT1P receptor, and functional ligand must be acquired. While the terminology can be daunting and the exhaustive details sometimes overwhelming, Gershon has wisely included lots of clear line drawings to help the novice understand the nervous system and the complexities of the digestive system that it runs. Happily, he also tells his story in human terms, paying homage to those whose discoveries enabled his own, good-humoredly sharing the exhilaration of jousting with colleagues over his theories, and generously describing the skills and inventiveness of researchers in his own laboratory and those of other neurobiologists. As this research sheds light on how the ``brain in the belly'' controls the behavior of the bowel, progress can be expected in the prevention, treatment, and control of gastrointestinal disease. When patients present with gastrointestinal problems for which doctors can find no specific cause, too often they are dismissed as neurotic complainers. That answers may be found in the enteric nervous system offers new hope for the 20 percent of Americans diagnosed with functional bowel disorders. An authoritative work that makes abundantly clear the value of basic research; unfortunately, it's encumbered with an intimidating amount of technical detail that may discourage interested readers. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

"An original and excellently written book. Dr. Gershon has succeeded in making a scientific subject easy and pleasant reading. The basic science and potential clinical applications are up to date. Though the subject is serious, the witty remarks, clever analogies, and just the right amount of irony make it extremely entertaining." — Pasko Rakic, M.D., Sc.D., Yale University School of Medicine, Chairman, Section of Neurobiology

"Dr. Gershon spills his guts in an entertaining and highly informative book about how smart our gastrointestinal tract is. He writes with a fatherly love about his research and that of his colleagues, and engages our sense of wonder about something we almost never think about. Great any room reading!" — Ronald A. Ruden, M.D. author of The Craving Brain

“In The Second Brain, Gershon makes a persuasive, impassioned and, at times, downright lyrical case...the book succeeds in presenting an often grim and complex topic in a surprisingly witty and engaging manner.” — Jacqueline Boone, The New York Times Book Review

"This book. . . . beautifully, simply and accurately summarizes many difficult scientific concepts about the enteric nervous system in a manner that is so lively and engaging that you won't want to put it down." — Raj K. Goyal, M.D., Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and ACOS/Research & Development, West Roxbury VA Medical Center

"Mike has managed to take an obscure health related subject and make its scientific base palatable and interesting for the educated lay person. I am convinced that The Second Brain will be a winner in this new era of books about our bodies." — Robert D. Goldman, Ph.D., Stephen Walter Ranson Professor and Chairman, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Medical School

There has been no book by a scientist to explain "the little brain in the gut" to the public at large--none, that is, until now. Dr. Michael Gershon is a key player in this field of research. — David L. Wingate, DM FRCP, Prof. of Gastrointestinal Science, The Royal London Hospital

“An interesting treatise that records the rediscovery of the importance of the nervous system in the abdominal organs, this book provides an opportunity for lay readers to explore the fascination of the Second Brain and the scientists who discover its marvels...Dr. Gershon documents this new renaissance in enteric neuroscience.” — Michael Camilleri, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Physiology, Mayo Foundation, Gastroenterology Research Unit

Dr. Michael D. Gershon's groundbreaking work clearly demonstrates that the human gut actually has a brain of its own. This remarkable scientific breakthrough offers fascinating proof that "gut instinct" is biological, a function of the second brain.

An alarming number of people suffer from heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, or related problems. Often thought to be caused by a "weakness" of the mind, these conditions may actually be a reflection of a disorder in the second brain. The second brain, located in the bowel, normally works smoothly with the brain in the head, enabling the head-brain to concentrate on the finer pursuits of life while the gut-brain attends to the messy business of digestion. A breakdown in communication between the two brains can lead to stomach and intestinal trouble, causing sufferers great abdominal grief and--too often--labeling them as neurotic complainers.

Dr. Gershon's research into the second brain provides understanding for those who suffer from gut-related ailments and offers new insight into the origin, extent, and management.

The Second Brain is the culmination of thirty years of research. It is an extraordinary contribution to the understanding of gastrointestinal illnesses, as well as a fascinating glimpse into hoe our gut really works.

Michael D. Gershon M.D., is chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.