The “neurobiological nexus” describes interactions between the brain, the body, and behaviour. It is used to describe how physiological and neurological systems shape human thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Why is this an important movement in modern health research? Because when it comes to modern (allopathic) medicine, the body has been broken up into parts and aren’t considered as ‘interactive’ with each other. When something goes wrong, they only look at one system – the brain, the gut, the liver as examples. They think of the body like a car. 

In naturopathy, the whole body is considered with an emphasis on ‘root cause’. If the brain shows symptoms, we consider where that may have started, and it isn’t always the brain. In homeopathy, emotional states and personality traits are considered as triggers to certain health conditions. 

Modern medicine discredited these modalities in order to gain control, and make profit with synthetic drug interventions. By doing this, they have neglected to take care of people who suffer. Patients take these drugs and become worse over time, as the body isn’t being looked at holistically.

This needs to change, and this new movement in neuroscience is offering hope of such changes. Science is finally accepting that all systems work together, and in the cause of the neurobiological nexus, the nervous system is ‘root’ to all other systems. 

What is the ‘neurobiological nexus’?

The neurobiological nexus highlights a connection between brain health, quality of life, and overall wellness. It includes the neuroimmune, neuroendocrine, neurovascular, and neurometabolic systems. This new way of thinking considers how these systems interact with each other, via the nervous system. 

Each system is important for various reasons; 

1. Immune system – which fight internal and external invaders, 
2. Endocrine system – controls your hormones, 
3. Cardiovascular system – your circulation and nutrient delivery systems, 
4. Metabolic system – your cellular function (the whole body is made up of cells). 

Each system has ‘cross-talk’ from one to the other, and it’s this crosstalk which they are referring to as the ‘neurobiological nexus’. 

Note this is a complex topic, and I’m doing my best to make it simple here. 

The brain’s role is key

The brain is considered the central ‘hub’, directing all signals (using neurotransmitters) to each system. Often when something goes awry with one, then another is eventually affected, but at the end of the day it’s considered to be a brain/nervous system issue when disease states develop. 

When it comes to mental health issues, it’s important to look at disruption in neurotransmitter function – dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine as examples – each transmit signals in the nervous system and influence mood, motivation, memory, and more. Dysregulation of this system is often implicated in mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. 

Often when you have a mental health diagnosis, you will have physical symptoms too; fatigue in depression, and pain/IBS in anxiety as examples. 

As I worked through my health issues over the span of 10 years, eventually I came to realise my brain was the issue. I had symptoms crossing all four systems, and trauma was the trigger for me. My brain was stuck in the past, and each time I was triggered, it would dysregulate the whole system. As this started in childhood, by the time I was an adult my whole body was already out of whack. As I worked through my trauma, my symptoms eased. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m improving with each day. 

The gut-brain connection

The gut-brain axis is another example of the neurobiological nexus. As the gut and the brain communicate back and forth with each other, the gastrointestinal tract is linked with the central nervous system (via the spinal cord). This is mediated by the vagus nerve, hormones, and microbes. 

The gut microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms, plays a significant role in this connection by influencing inflammation, neurotransmitter production, and stress responses. So the gut is actually an extension of the nervous system in this way, and can influence each of the involved systems. 

Implications of lifestyle and behaviour

Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, released during stress, impact brain function and behaviour (this here shows how trauma can play a role in disease development). Similarly, immune system activity can affect mood and cognition, as seen in conditions involving chronic inflammation. The higher the inflammation, the more likely one has mental health or fatigue-related symptoms. 

For information on building an anti-inflammatory diet, check out my article Build A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Diet with These 11 Foods

Lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and sleep patterns directly impact brain health and systemic functions. Positive habits can enhance neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections – while negative behaviors, such as substance abuse, can disrupt this delicate balance. 

This tells us there is so much we can do to control our health and wellbeing, and although natural health practitioners have been saying this for years, the fact that science has caught up could be life-changing for so many!. 

I hope that has opened your mind to the connection between the gut-brain axis, the immune, cardiovascular, endocrine and metabolic systems. By addressing brain health, we can increase overall health and wellbeing and in time, let’s hope this research pathway gains more traction!

Jen X