Purpose of review: Provision of adequate nutrients by the gut is essential for survival and essential behaviors are linked to the proper ingestion and digestion of food. Recently, a new neural connection has been reported between sensory cells of the gut epithelium and the nervous system that mediates signals from the gut to the brain.
Recent findings: This review describes how the gut senses its environment, relays those signals to the brain, and how the brain influences the gut.
Summary: This gut-brain connection provides a pathway for how the body handles food.