The Science of Your Gut Sense & the Gut-Brain Axis | Dr. Diego Bohórquez

Protein that fluoresces, obtained from jellyfish, used by biologists as a tool to label and visualize individual cells and cell types in organisms like mice.

A community of microorganisms in the gut, distinguished from Dr. Bohórquez's area of expertise which is gut sensing.

A biological technique that involves the use of light to control cells in living tissue, typically neurons, that have been genetically modified to express light-sensitive ion channels.

Specialized neuroepithelial cells in the gut and other epithelial layers of the body that are electrically excitable and detect external stimuli like temperature, pH, and chemical concentrations, then rapidly communicate to the nervous system.

The sense of the physiological condition of the body, such as heartbeat or gut sensing, which some people can become more aware of through meditation or in atypical health states.

Proteins that detect sugar as it enters the intestine, potentially causing mammals to prefer things that have sugar, even in the absence of conscious sweet taste.

A giant tree, around 650 years old, seen at the Mayan ruins of Copán, symbolizing ancient plant wisdom.

Cells named after Santiago Ramón y Cajal, involved in coordinating electrical patterns in the gastrointestinal tract.

A surgical procedure for treating chronic obesity, which involves reducing the stomach size and short-circuiting part of the intestine, leading to rapid changes in physiology, food choices, and sometimes altered cravings.

A concept described in a 1970s book by Japanese scientists Fujita, Canon, and Kobayashi, suggesting a continuum between central neurons and neuroepithelial/neuroendocrine cells exposed to the outside.

A hypothesis that suggests protein is the most satiating macronutrient and that animals (including humans) will eat until their protein requirement is met, potentially leading to overconsumption of low-protein, calorically dense foods.

A major bidirectional pathway of the nervous system, involved in communication between the brain and body, capable of inducing both calm and arousal states, and highly subject to learning and association.

Host of the Huberman Lab podcast and Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Guest on the Huberman Lab podcast, Professor of Medicine and Neurobiology at Duke University, known for his work on gut sensing and the gut-brain axis.

Professor and scientist who, with Karl Deisseroth and others, made the 'dream experiment' of optogenetics possible by isolating opsin genes.

A neuroscientist who has done fine detailed work in sensory biology, including in the esophagus.

Considered the greatest neurobiologist of all time, shared the Nobel Prize with Camilo Golgi for mapping nervous system structure, known for his insights into neuroscience.

One of Dr. Bohórquez's mentors who provided support and guidance during his career development.

Professor and scientist who, with Ed Boyden and others, made the 'dream experiment' of optogenetics possible by isolating opsin genes.

A founding figure in autonomic physiology and author of 'The Wisdom of the Body', whose paper 'Voodoo Death' explored how psychological states can physiologically impact mortality through the vagus nerve.

A Dutch scientist who, in 2009, discovered factors that trigger stem cells in the intestinal epithelium to form mini-guts in a dish.

Co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for discovering the structure of DNA, who later developed an obsession for neuroscience and dreamed of tools to visualize neural connections.

Professor from MIT who developed a flexible fiber optic cable, which Dr. Bohórquez adapted for optogenetic studies in the gut.

Professor who, with Holly and Jinra at UCSF, demonstrated that serotonin-releasing cells in the colon drive visceral hypersensitivity.

Psychiatrist whose work on the subconscious is mentioned as a framework for understanding how accumulated life experiences inform intuition or 'gut feelings'.

A triple-degreed Harvard individual who emphasizes learning to navigate decisions through intuition and body-based sensation rather than purely analytic methods.

One of Dr. Bohórquez's mentors who provided support and guidance during his career development.

Professor at Duke University who conducted an elegant experiment in 2007, demonstrating that mammals prefer sugar even when their sweet taste receptors are genetically erased.

Professor who, with David Julius and Holly at UCSF, demonstrated that serotonin-releasing cells in the colon drive visceral hypersensitivity.

Dr. Huberman's guest on a previous podcast, a scientist at the Salk Institute known for work on intermittent fasting and circadian biology, who discussed Fireside Chats.

Professor in Australia at the Nutrition Research Institute at Sydney University, a main proponent of the protein leverage hypothesis.

Explorer who, in 1542, marched through Ecuador on his way to discover the Amazon River.

A late friend who connected Dr. Bohórquez with mentors at North Carolina State University for his PhD in nutrition.

Professor at Columbia University who advanced research on a population of brainstem neurons integrating information from the gut controlling feeding behavior.

A friend at Columbia who works on mosquitoes and how they feed on blood, providing insight into the role of protein for reproduction.

Former Navy SEAL and author, known for waking up early at 4:30 AM for training.

Shared the Nobel Prize with Santiago Ramón y Cajal for developing tools and mapping the structure of the nervous system.

A GLP-1 analogue, part of a class of drugs that are used for diabetes and weight loss, acting on the brain to reduce hunger and on the gut to cause gastric distension.

A fast-acting neurotransmitter released by neuropod cells in response to glucose, signaling the vagus nerve.

A peptide hormone that reduces hunger by acting on the brain (hypothalamus) and gives a sensation of gastric distension at the gut level, also a potent stimulator of insulin release.

A GLP-1 analogue, part of a class of drugs that are used for diabetes and weight loss, acting on the brain to reduce hunger and on the gut to cause gastric distension.

The founder of which donated funds to establish Zamorano University in Honduras.

The company that the Standard Fruit Company eventually became.

Sponsor that makes medical-grade red light therapy devices, clinically effective for cellular health, muscle recovery, skin health, pain reduction, inflammation, and sleep.

Sponsor that makes customizable mattresses and pillows to support better sleep quality based on individual needs.

Electrolyte drink containing sodium, magnesium, and potassium in correct ratios, without sugar, important for hydration, cognitive, and physical performance.

A personalized nutrition platform that analyzes blood and DNA data to provide actionable advice on nutrition, behavior, and supplements for optimal health.

A relative of Yerba Mate, less bitter but with similar caffeine content and antioxidants, providing a smooth energetic experience; used ritualistically by Amazonian natives.

A foundational nutritional supplement taken daily for vitamins, minerals, adaptogens, and micronutrients to support gut health, immune system, brain health, and cellular processes.

A leaf that provides energy and a unique subjective experience compared to coffee, with an active compound of caffeine.

Dr. Diego Bohórquez's birthplace, located in the Amazonia, and where Theobroma cacao was recently documented to have been domesticated.

Mayan ruins at the junction of Honduras and Guatemala, mentioned for ancient SAA trees and knowledge of plants.

The geographical region where Dr. Bohórquez grew up, and where native communities demonstrate deep wisdom and sensory acuity regarding plants and their environment.

The biological studies institute where Dr. Satchin Panda works.

Academic institution where Dr. Diego Bohórquez is a professor of medicine and neurobiology.

A strict agricultural boarding school in Honduras where Dr. Bohórquez gained early education and learned about nutrition and the value of a PhD.

A paper published by Walter Cannon in the 1930s describing how psychological phenomena, like a shaman's curse, can lead to physiological changes and death, mediated by the vagus nerve.

A book about the history of the study of rabies, mentioned in the context of the virus's ability to propagate by altering animal behavior.

A classic book by Walter Cannon on autonomic physiology.

A palm date very rich in lipids and fibers, consumed by Amazonian natives as a full meal around 5:30 AM after drinking guayusa.

A virus that can be engineered by scientists to jump across a single synaptic connection between neurons and then stop, used to trace neural circuitry.