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DISGUST: YOUR BEHAVIORAL IMMUNE SYSTEM
biology, immunology Kelly McGill biology, immunology Kelly McGill

DISGUST: YOUR BEHAVIORAL IMMUNE SYSTEM

How do we avoid getting sick in a world full of bacteria, viruses, and other deadly pathogens? We have evolved a subsystem within our immune system that functions as our very first line of defense against pathogens. This primary subsystem is called the “behavioral immune system”. This behavioral immune subsystem’s methods of defense against pathogens can be described up in one word….disgust.

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A GUT FEELING</a>
biology, psychology, biochemistry Anna Cunningham biology, psychology, biochemistry Anna Cunningham

A GUT FEELING

Did you know that our bodies are mostly bacteria? For every human cell in our body, there are ten tiny microbes living on our skin, in our mouth, or throughout our digestive tract. Humans and bacteria have evolved together for thousands of years. We have a symbiotic relationship with our bacteria: they rely on us for a safe environment and a regular food supply, and in turn, they help us digest our food and produce chemicals that increase our evolutionary fitness as a species. The bacterial population in our gut alone weighs 2-3 pounds, which is about the same weight as the brain! In fact, our gut bacteria may actually have a bigger effect on our brains than we realize.

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