Lecture 26: Pharmacology for Treatment of Motility Disorders Flashcards
How many neurons are in the Enteric Nervous System?
The same number as the spinal cord (400-600 million)
What is achalasia?
The inability of lower esophageal sphincter to relax
What are the neurons that are present in the enteric nervous system?
iPANs
intrinsic primary afferent nerves
receive input from cholinergic, adrenergic and dopaminergic neurons
Located in Meissner’s plexus
What is the predominant neurotransmitter in the ENS?
Serotonin
What is the plexus in submucosa?
Meissner’s plexus
What is the plexus in between the circular and longitudinal muscle?
Auerbach’s plexus
At the level of the esophagus, what is the excitatory neurotransmitter? Inhibitory?
Acetylcholine = excitatory
NO = inhibitory
You have both cholinergic myenteric plexus neurons and nitric oxide myenteric plexus neurons
More inhibitory neurons as you move distally from esophagus
What is the aim of esophageal motility therapy?
- reduce lower esophageal sphincter pressure
OR - Reduce vigor of distal esophageal smooth muscle contractions
What is the etiology of achalasia?
- degeneragion of inhibitory myenteric plexus neurons (NO)
- damage to vagal branches
- damage to dorsal vagal nucleus (DMX)
What is the only medication for achalasia?
Botulinum toxin
Blocks the vesicular release of acetylcholine at the synapse
What is the treatment for achalasia that does not require medication?
- Heller myotomy
- Pneumatic dilation
- peroral endoscopy myotomy (POEM)
What is a Heller myotomy?
A surgical procedure in which the muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter are cut
What medications reduce muscular vigor?
5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors
Blocks NO degradation, so prolong smooth muscle relaxation
Same shit used in sildenafil
Muscular vigor syndromes are DIFFERENT from achalasia (because the muscular contractions are very strong, and there is some relaxation)
What are the components of gastric motility?
- Fundus = accommodation
- increases volume without increasing pressure
- Body/Antrum = Trituration
- when you squeeze the food in antrum
What is trituration?
The processing of materials done in antrum
What must you do if you have a vagotomy?
Must do a pyloroplasty (cut the pyloric sphincter) to allow shit to pass through
What are the characteristics of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)?
Joined by gap junctions and are responsible for organized contraction
Where is most of the serotonin in our body located?
In the GI tract not in the brain
95% in GI tract
5% in brain…
What are the two types of neurons in the GI tract?
- Excitatory cholinergic motor neurons
- 5HT3 receptor
- 5HT4 receptor
- Inhibitory nitrergic motor neuron
- 5HT1D receptor
- 5HT7 receptor
- 5HT1A recptor
How does the GI tract know when to move?
- A bolus of food applies PRESSURE to the Enterochrommafin (EC) cells in the stomach
- EC cells when activated by pressure release serotonin
- Serotonin transmit signal to intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs)
- IPANs transmit signal to circular and longitudinal muscles
- also transmitted to interneurons that comminucate with excitatory/inhibitory neurons in Auerbach’s plexus
What is the difference between EC cells and ECL cells?
Enterochromaffin cells are found THROUGHOUT GI tract
Enterochromaffin-like cells are found only in the stomach and secrete histamine
What are the targets for gastric motility?
- Accelerate emptying
- Delay emptying
- Improve fundic accommodation