Physiology of Deglutition Flashcards
What is gastrointestinal motility?
The movement of food and liquids through the GI tract via coordinated muscle contractions
Why can certain organs like the intestine and the heart produce action potential even outside of the body?
They have their own pacemaker
What is the importance of GI motility?
Digestion
Nutrient Absorption
Waste elimination
What are the 5 different types of movement?
Peristalsis
Segmentation
Tonic Contractions
Migrating Motor Complex
Mass Movements
Which organ is only supported by peristalsis?
Esophagus
What happens during segmentation?
Mixing of the food, can commonly be seen in the stomach
What are tonic contractions?
Sustained contractions, usually seen with sphincters
When does Migrating Movement Complex occur?
During fasting, its advantage is that it pushes out the residual of the digestive system
What is mass movement?
Happens in the large intestine, movement of large amounts of substances, usually feaces.
Happens 2 to 3 times a day
What is the enteric nervous system made up of?
Myenteric: between inner circular and outer longitudinal: function is contraction
Submucous: found in the submucosa, close to glands function is secretion
Where are voluntary skeletal muscles found?
Mouth
Pharynx
External anal sphincter
What is the difference between the external anal sphincter and the internal?
Internal anal sphincter is smooth muscle
Which kind of muscle is responsible for weak and graded contractions?
Longitudinal Muscle
What happens to the longitudinal muscle when contracting?
The radius increases
What happens to the circular muscle when contracting?
The radius decreases
What is the process of peristalsis?
Contraction of both the circular (before food) and the longitudinal (after food) muscles
Longitudinal Muscles:
- Thin Muscle Coat
- Contractions shorten intestine length, radius increases
- Activated by excitatory motor neurons
- Few gap junctions
- Extracellular Ca2+ influx is important in excitation-contraction coupling
Circular Muscles:
- Thick Muscle Coat
- Contraction increases length of intestines, radius decreases
- Activated by myogenic pacemakers and excitatory motor neurons
- Many gap junctions
- Intracellular Ca2+ release is important fro excitation-contraction coupling
What is an example of myogenic contraction?
Interstitial Cells of Cajal: Origin of Phasic and Tonic Contraction
What are examples of neurogenic contraction?
Intrinsic (Enteric NS)
Extrinsic (SNS & PNS)
Endocrine
Pancrine
What is the difference between pharmaco-mechanical and electro-mechanical coupling
Electro-mechanical coupling requires a change in action potential in order for Ca2+ to open
Pharmaco-mechanical coupling requires a signal, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum then releases the Ca2+
What are examples of signals that activate pharmacy-mechanical coupling?
Neurocrine
Paracrine
Endocrine
What do interstitial cells of Cajal serve as in GI muscles?
Pacemakers
What is the process of contraction for GI muscles?
- Spontaneous genesis of slow waves (Cajal cells)
- Slow waves conduction and transmission to smooth muscle
- Depolarisation, opening of calcium channels, A.P genesis
What happens in the case that there is ICC loss?
Human motility disorders
What is Hirschprung’s disease?
Congenital condition that prevents newborns and young children from passing stool.
What do slow wave potentials cause?
Spontaneous generation of action potentials, do not result in muscle contraction
What causes smooth muscle contraction of the gut?
Waves of action potentials moving along via gap junctions, muscle tension + slow wave simultaneously
Why are the slow waves in the stomach so slow?
Because the main function of the stomach is storage and mixing.
Where are the fastest slow waves found?
In the small intestine
What is the frequency of slow waves in different segments?
Stomach = 3/min
Duodenum = 11 to 12/min
Distal Ileum & colon = 6 to 7/min
What is peristalsis?
Wave-like contractions that move the food through the esophagus, stomach and intestines
What is the mechanism of peristalsis?
Coordinated contractions and relaxation of circular and longitudinal muscles
What is the function of peristalsis?
Propels the bolus forward, ensuring it moves along the digestive path
What is responsible for the contraction of propulsive segment during peristalsis?
Acetylcholine
What is responsible for the relaxation in the receiving segment during peristalsis?
Nitrogen Oxide
What is segmentation used for?
Mixing of food with digestive enzymes
What is the mechanism of segmentation?
Involves alternating contractions of intestinal segments without net movement forward