Daily Bowel Movements are Associated with Stronger Gut-Brain Phase-Amplitude Coupling and Better Cognitive Performance
Gut-brain communication has emerged as a rapidly expanding field of research, with recent electrophysiological studies revealing rhythmic gut-brain coupling between gastric activity and brain oscillations in humans. Gut motility is a key determinant of gastrointestinal function, but it remains unclear whether individual differences in gut motility reflected by weekly bowel movements (e.g.,…
A recent study explores the relationship between bowel movements and brain function, revealing that individuals with daily bowel movements exhibit stronger gut-brain coupling and better cognitive performance. Researchers have discovered that rhythmic communication between the gut and brain can be measured by analyzing gastric activity and brain oscillations.
While the impact of gut motility on gastrointestinal function is well-known, it is still uncertain if variations in gut motility, such as the frequency of bowel movements, are linked to differences in gut-brain coupling.
In this investigation, the researchers examined two groups of women: one with daily bowel movements (38 participants) and another with less frequent bowel movements (38 participants). They simultaneously recorded electroencephalography (EEG) and electrogastrography (EGG) data from both groups during fasting. Additionally, cognitive assessments were conducted, and faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were analyzed as markers of colonic fermentation.
A subset of participants underwent two EEG-EGG coupling assessments, separated by at least eight weeks, to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the measurements.
The test-retest reliability of the EEG-EGG coupling showed moderate consistency (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.50). Comparing the two groups of women, the analysis of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between EEG and EGG signals revealed that women with daily bowel movements displayed significantly stronger gut-brain coupling compared to those with less frequent bowel movements (p = 0.03).
Furthermore, the study found that women with daily bowel movements made fewer errors in cognitive tasks and had higher levels of faecal SCFAs.
The researchers conducted a path analysis, which suggested that bowel movements significantly influence gut-brain phase-amplitude coupling through faecal SCFAs. However, neither faecal SCFAs nor phase-amplitude coupling significantly predicted cognitive performance. Instead, the findings indicate the existence of alternative pathways through which bowel movements might affect cognitive performance.
Overall, the study suggests that the strength of gut-brain coupling is associated with bowel movements and cognitive performance, positioning EEG-EGG coupling as a promising marker for human gut-brain interactions.
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