The human gut contains enough neurons to function even if severed from the brain
The human gut possesses its own independent nervous system containing 500 million neurons, allowing it to manage digestion even if communication with the brain is lost.
The enteric nervous system is so complex that it is often referred to as the 'second brain.' This network of myenteric and submucosal neurons controls the rhythmic contractions of peristalsis and the secretion of digestive enzymes without needing instructions from the spinal cord.
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