Neurons outside the brain

4 hours ago

The human body contains three major neuronal clusters: the brain, the gut (with 500 million neurons), and the heart (with 50,000 neurons).
The gut operates semi-independently, with its own sensory and immune systems, and communicates with the brain via limited neural fibers.
The heart has its own nervous system, capable of independent function, and may retain memories post-transplant in some cases.
The spinal cord contains about 15 million neurons and plays a key role in pain processing, as per Melzack and Wall's gate control theory.
Emotions and consciousness are distributed experiences, not localized solely in the brain, with feelings often manifesting in the gut or heart.
Exercises encourage body awareness, highlighting how different emotional states correlate with sensations in specific body areas.
Neuro-reductionist views are challenged by the complexity and autonomy of the gut and heart's neural networks.

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