Benzos, GABA Receptors and Depressed Gut Mobility

GABA receptors for Benzodiazepines and Sleeping Pills are also located in the gut and depress gastrointestinal movement, which can cause constipation. But the continued use of medications that target GABA also increase the level of stress on the body. And in many ways, the connection between stress and the gut may be the most visible brain-gut connection. Chronic stress can result in indigestion, ulcers and a host of uncomfortable symptoms, including colon spasms. This may explain why the gut naturally produces benzodiazepines, to keep the natural state of calm that is necessary for proper functioning.

Nearly every chemical that controls the brain is also located in the stomach region, including hormones and neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Dopamine, Glutamate, GABA and Norepinephrine. The gut contains 100 million neurons – more than the spinal cord. But there are also two-dozen small brain proteins; major cells of the immune system; one class of the body’s natural opiates; and native benzodiazepines. The gut, known as the enteric nervous system, is located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon, and plays a key role in human emotions. But few know the enteric nervous system exists, and therefore gut health is often overlooked. Symptoms from the two brains can get confused, and just as the brain can upset the gut, the gut can also upset the brain.

The brain signals the gut region by talking to a small number of command neurons, which in turn signal relay neurons that carry messages and control the pattern of activity in the gut. The term Solar Plexus simply refers to the nerves in the abdomen. But these plexuses also contain cells that nourish neurons and are involved in immune response and the protection of the “blood brain barrier” to keep harmful substances away from the important neurons. There are also sensors for sugar, protein, acid and other factors that monitor the progress of digestion, determining how the gut mixes and handles its contents.

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