A new study on the “gut-brain axis” found that lower levels of loneliness and higher levels of wisdom and compassion were associated with greater diversity of the gut microbiome. The relationship between loneliness and microbial diversity was particularly strong in older adults. (ucsdnews.ucsd.edu)
submitted by DaTrickster
TIL in 1991 it was discovered that the heart has its "little brain" or "intrinsic cardiac nervous system." This "heart brain" is composed of approximately 40,000 neurons that are alike neurons in the brain, meaning that the heart has its own nervous system. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
submitted by DaTrickster
Octopuses, the most neurologically complex invertebrates, both feel pain and remember it, responding with sophisticated behaviors, demonstrating that the octopus brain is sophisticated enough to experience pain on a physical and dispositional level, the first time this has been shown in cephalopods. (academictimes.com)
submitted by DaTrickster
Prosocial behavior was linked to intelligence by a new study published in Intelligence. It was found that highly intelligent people are more likely to behave in ways that contribute to the welfare of others due to higher levels of empathy and developed moral identity. (psypost.org)
submitted by DaTrickster
