In a pioneering study,scientists at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research(LIBR,Tulsa,OK,USA;www.laureateinstitute.org) had participants ingest a minimally invasive vibrating capsule developed by Vibrant Ltd.(Newton,MA,USA;www.vibrantgastro.com). This was done to assess neural reactions during gastrointestinal stimulation,introducing a unique method to examine the complex gut-brain nexus.

The team found that the participants could sense the capsule’s vibration under two scenarios: normal and intensified.The heightened stimulation resulted in superior perceptual accuracy,quicker identification of the stimulation,and a decrease in reaction time variability,implying potential for further exp;oration of this method within various clinical cohorts.

The findings mark a notable advancement as they validate the viability of this novel approach to study gut feelings.