Thanks for the question!There's a saying that the gut is your second brain, and I think that's a fitting way to get into the topic of the link between the brain and gut. The brain-gut axis is a two-way highway of communication between these regions of our bodies. This relationship is bidirectional, meaning the activity and functioning of one can affect the other.

Early childhood trauma can lead to a large stress response in these individuals. The stress response can lead to changes in the gut microbiome through stress hormones and inflammation. The bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain means that these early life changes in the gut also affect the brain at a time period critical to its development. In addition, there is some evidence that these alterations can lead to increased risk of developing stress related disorders later in life.

-RM