Dr. Michael Gershon, professor and director of the                         
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Medical and
Surgical School at Columbia University, New York, found in
his research an interesting collection of nerves in the area
of the duodenum.  He wrote about it in his book, “The Second
Brain” which was published by Harper Collins in New York in
1998.

According to its structure and neurochemistry, this nervous
system in the digestive system is a brain.  Along side all
those meters of intestines sits a complex of microscopic,
electrical circuits, powered by neurotransmitters and
neuromodules that are not found anywhere else in the
surrounding digestive system.  This system allows the
digestive system to perform many functions in the absence of
the central nervous system.

Research of the uniqueness of the nervous system of the
digestive system began in the 19th century.  Over the years,
research was performed to discover the special
characteristics of the nervous system of the digestive system
.

Dr. Gershon explains in his paper how he was successful in
proving the fact that in the digestive system, near the
duodenum, exists a separate nervous system, which acts as a
brain for the digestive system.

Rafi Rosen named this brain:  abdominal brain – way before
Dr. Gershon’s book was published.