INMEGEN emphasizes that prevention begins with healthy eating habits and lifestyle

The National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) warned that the liver, intestine, and brain form an interdependent functional axis, whose alteration can trigger digestive disorders, liver diseases, and neurological complications, making their joint care essential for preserving overall health. Specialists from the institute pointed out that the deterioration of one of these organs directly impacts the others due to communication mechanisms involving blood circulation, the immune system, and neuronal signaling. A researcher from the INMEGEN's Hepatic Diseases Genomics group, Julio Isael Pérez Carreón, explained that the interaction between these organs occurs through shared metabolic pathways, as well as via the vagus nerve, blood flow, and immunomediators. He detailed that molecules like tryptophan and serotonin play a central role in this communication. Although serotonin is recognized as a brain neurotransmitter, a significant portion is produced in the intestine, while its metabolic regulation depends on the liver, evidencing the close relationship among the three systems. Specialists cautioned that advanced liver damage can cause intestinal alterations, the appearance of varicose veins in the digestive system, and the accumulation of ammonia in the blood—a neurotoxic substance that, when not properly metabolized, reaches the brain and can trigger hepatic encephalopathy. This neurological disorder can manifest with disorientation, behavioral changes, cognitive impairments, and, in severe cases, a state of coma, underscoring the clinical relevance of early prevention. The INMEGEN's Hepatic Diseases Genomics team is investigating the transition from a healthy liver to severe pathologies such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Specialists agreed that liver damage is reversible if detected in time, and that prevention largely depends on daily decisions: maintaining a balanced and varied diet, engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption, reducing ultra-processed foods, taking care of sleep hygiene, promptly addressing persistent digestive symptoms, and avoiding self-medication. In the words of Julio Isael Pérez Carreón, “when acting early, the body can restore its balance; daily care is decisive for better overall health.” INMEGEN emphasized that the health of the liver, intestine, and brain cannot be addressed in isolation, as they function as an integrated system. Among their findings is that patients with liver cancer show lower expression of proteins like INMT, involved in the metabolism of tryptophan-derived neurotransmitters. This alteration, they noted, could help explain part of the link between liver disease and neurological dysfunction, reinforcing the importance of preserving liver function from early stages. Meanwhile, INMEGEN doctoral student Isaac Aguirre Maldonado described the liver as a “great physiological shield,” capable of buffering intestinal inflammation associated with inadequate diets. He warned that sustained dietary imbalances, particularly excessive consumption of ultra-processed products and alcohol, favor the appearance of fatty liver, which can progress to hepatic fibrosis and loss of essential metabolic functions.