Violence or any sight that leaves you feeling anxious, disgusted, or angry changes the balance in your gut system. Yes, it doesn't just make your heart beat fast and cause your panic to rise; it leaves you feeling queasy due to the changes in your stomach.
Gut Reaction, Brain Response Have a Connection
A new study that has yet-to-be-peer-reviewed learned that stomach-churning, visceral reaction to horror is more than nerves because it also affects the gut system.
When one is feeling disgusted or fearful, something drives down the pH in the gut making it more acidic. The Sapienza University of Rome researchers demonstrated the connection between gut reactions and the brain's response to dangerous situations. They learned that the gastric network plays a significant role in the body's emotional responses, Science Alert reported.
The outlet noted that feeling disgusted in the pit of the stomach is not unusual. A self-reported 'body maps' of emotions often links negative feelings with the gastric system. The recordings of electrical activity also show that the gut's muscular wall reflects one's experiences of repulsion.
The response appears to be a two-way street. The volunteers were given medication to ease reflux and nausea before being presented with a repugnant sight. They noticed that it significantly affects whether one subconsciously averts their gaze, a common sign of disgust.
The Digestive System Squirts More Acid Into Stomach
In the new study, 31 healthy men without psychological, neurological, or digestive disorders were asked to swallow a "smart pill," which contains a sensor, battery, and wireless transmitter. It records from the inside, and the researchers measure the muscular electrical activity of the digestive system without other psychological reactions.
The volunteers participated in four viewing sessions featuring 9-second long video clips featuring happy, disgusting, sad, and fearful content. A neutrally-emotive content was also added to serve as a control.
Through their responses via a questionnaire, the researchers had an idea of how the participants felt about what they watched. Meanwhile, the smart pill continuously collects data from within, pinging back details from the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
Like in previous studies, the participants' gastric sensations rose during fearful scenes and topped out while watching disgusting clips.
The gastric pH dropped when the participants were watching disgusting video clips. The more fearful or disgusted they feel, the lower the pH in their gut system.
The data can help researchers better model how the bodies operate at their best and in conditions related to bowel or digestive orders and how they influence mental health.
However, more studies are needed that include a more diverse group of
volunteers to generalize the findings.
The research is available on the preprint site bioRxiv.
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