Symptoms all in your head—or in your gut? Maybe a little of
both.

Anyone who has ever experienced “butterflies in the
stomach” before giving a big presentation won’t be surprised to
learn there is an actual physical connection between their gut and
their brain. Neuroscientists and medical professionals call this
the “gut-brain-axis” (GBA). A better understanding of the GBA could
lead to treatments and cures for neurological mood disorders like
depression and anxiety, as well as for a range of chronic
auto-immune inflammatory diseases like irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).