This from today's  http://www.forteantimes.com/http://www.forteantimes.com/

Scientists discover 'second brain'
     in the stomach


     Scientists are claiming to have discovered a second
     brain - in the human stomach.

     The breakthrough, involving experts in the US and
     Germany, is believed to play a major part in the way
     people behave.

     This 'second brain' is made up of a knot of brain nerves
     in the digestive tract. It is thought to involve around 100
     billion nerve cells - more than held in the spinal cord.

     Researchers believe this belly brain may save
     information on physical reactions to mental processes
     and give out signals to influence later decisions. It may
     also be responsible in the creation of reactions such as
     joy or sadness.

     The research is outlined in the latest issue of German
     science magazine, Geo, in which Professor Wolfgang
     Prinz, of the Max Planck Institute for Psychological
     Research in Munich, says the discovery could give a
     new twist on the old phrase "gut reaction".

     He said: "People often follow their gut reactions without
     even knowing why, its only later that they come up with
     the logical reason for acting the way they did. But we
     now believe that there is a lot more to gut feelings than
     was previously believed."

     Professor Prinz thinks the stomach network may be the
     source for unconscious decisions which the main brain
     later claims as conscious decisions of its own.

     The second brain was rediscovered by Michael
     Gershorn, of the University of Colombia in New York,
     after it was forgotten by science. He says it was first
     documented by a 19th century German neurologist,
     Leopold Auerbach.

     He discovered two layers of nerve cells near a piece of
     intestine he was dissecting. After putting them under
     the microscope he found they were part of a complex
     network.

     Recent research has already raised the idea that many
     reactions may be made in the stomach. Benjamin
     Libet, of the University of California found the brains of
     volunteers asked to raise their arms only registered
     activity about half a second after the movement had
     been made. He believes his work implies another part
     of the body may have been involved in making the
     decision.