# Does the liver talk to the brain? If so, how and why?

**Authors:** Young-Hwan Jo

PMC · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003491 · 2025-11-13

## TL;DR

The liver communicates with the brain through signals like nutrients and hormones, possibly via the vagal nerve, influencing metabolism and mood.

## Contribution

This paper proposes that liver signaling via the vagal nerve is a new pathway for body-brain communication.

## Key findings

- The liver communicates with the brain via vagal sensory neurons.
- Liver signals influence metabolic homeostasis and emotional stability.

## Abstract

The liver communicates with the brain by transmitting interoceptive signals, including nutrients, hormones, and cytokines, potentially via the liver-innervating vagal sensory neurons. This communication is crucial for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and emotional stability.

Interoceptive signals from visceral organs, such as heart, lungs and gut, are known to influence many aspects of organismal physiology and behavior. This Perspective argues that liver signaling via the vagal nerve is another avenue of body-brain communication that shapes metabolism and mood.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** Avil (advillin) [NCBI Gene 11567] {aka Advil, DOC6}, TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) [NCBI Gene 7054] {aka DYT14, DYT5b, TYH}, SLC18A3 (solute carrier family 18 member A3) [NCBI Gene 6572] {aka CMS21, VACHT}, BCHE (butyrylcholinesterase) [NCBI Gene 590] {aka BCHED, CHE1, CHE2, E1}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}, GCG (glucagon) [NCBI Gene 2641] {aka GLP-1, GLP1, GLP2, GRPP}
- **Diseases:** insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), liver disease (MESH:D008107), anxiety (MESH:D001007), hepatic steatosis (MESH:D005234), metabolic dysfunction (MESH:D008659), inflammation (MESH:D007249), weight gain (MESH:D015430)
- **Chemicals:** fatty acids (MESH:D005227), calcium (MESH:D002118), amino acids (MESH:D000596), glucose (MESH:D005947), acetylcholine (MESH:D000109), fat (MESH:D005223), bile acids (MESH:D001647)
- **Species:** Cavia porcellus (domestic guinea pig, species) [taxon 10141], Canis lupus familiaris (dog, subspecies) [taxon 9615], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12614602/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12614602