This book delves into the intricacies of the brain-gut crosstalk, offering readers an advanced understanding of how the brain and gut interact at a physiological and neurophysiological level. With in-depth chapters on the physiology of the gut, neurophysiology of the gut, and the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, this book provides a cutting-edge perspective that bridges multiple domains of medical science. It examines the complex mechanisms of gut motility, sensory processing, neurotransmission, and the emerging role of the gut-brain axis, equipping readers with essential knowledge for understanding and addressing various gastrointestinal disorders.

The book is divided into three sections – the first section covers the physiology of the gut, the second section discusses the neurophysiology of the gut, and the third section focuses on the clinical aspects and the issues related to the brain-gut crosstalk. It is meticulously structured to not only explore these systems in isolation but also to provide insights into their integrated functioning and the clinical implications of their disruption.

This volume of the book series ‘Physiology in Clinical Neurosciences – Brain and Spinal Cord Crosstalks’ serves as a valuable resource for clinicians, researchers, and postgraduate and super specialty students of neurology, neurosurgery, gastroenterology and physiology. It is also helpful for allied health professionals, as well as researchers working in the domain of neurogastroenterology.

Dr. Hemanshu Prabhakar is a Professor at the Department of Neuroanesthesiology and Critical Care at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. He has published over 350 papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals and more than 30 books on neuroanesthesia and neurocritical care. He is featured in the Limca Book of Records as a prolific writer in the field of neuroanesthesiology. Dr. Prabhakar is a reviewer for various national and international journals and is also a review author for the Cochrane Collaboration. He has a special interest in evidence-based practice of neuroanesthesia and enhanced recovery after surgery. He is a member of various national and international neuroanesthesia societies and is the past secretary of the Indian Society of Neuroanesthesia and Critical Care (ISNACC) and Society of Neurocritical Care (SNCC). Dr. Prabhakar is the past president of SNCC. He is an honorary fellow of SNCC. He is actively involved in the research activities for the low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and in the Curing Coma Campaign by the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS). He is a recipient of the AIIMS Excellence Award 2012 for his notable contribution to academia.

Dr. Priyadarshini Mishra is Additional Professor in the Department of Physiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India. She completed her M.B.B.S. and M.D. in Physiology from VSS Medical College, Burla, and holds a Ph.D. from AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and is also a GSMC FAIMER Fellow. Her research interests lie in neurophysiology and the gut-brain axis, with ongoing work examining the links between gut microbiome, sleep disorders, and cognitive function in drug-resistant epilepsy. She also provides clinical services in intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Dr. Mishra has published extensively in national and international peer-reviewed journals on EEG functional connectivity, drug-resistant epilepsy, and the relationship between sleep apnea and neurological disorders. She was awarded the Prof. S.B. Deshpande Award for Best Paper in Neurophysiology at ASSOPICON 2023.