Week 11- Regulation of Gut Function Flashcards
Where do sympathetic preganglionic neurons arise from?
Thoracic and lumbar spinal cord
What sympathetic nerves go to the stomach?
T6-9
What sympathetic nerves go to the colon?
L2-5
What postganglionic neurons innervate the stomach?
Coeliac ganglion
What postganglionic neurons innervate the small intestine?
Superior mesenteric ganglion
What postganglionic neurons innervate the colon?
Inferior mesenteric and pelvic ganglion
What neurotransmitter is involved with the sympathetic nervous system?
Norepinephrine
What does activation of sympathetic nervous system do to the activities of gastrointestinal tract?
Inhibit it
How is parasympathetic innervation to stomach, small
intestine and proximal colon supplied?
Vagus nerve
Where do parasympathetic preganglionic neurons originate?
Dorsal vagal complex within brainstem from sacral spinal
cord
What neurotransmitter is involved with the parasympathetic nervous system?
Acetylcholine
What does activation of parasympathetic nervous system
stimulate?
The GI tract
Describe the enteric (intrinsic) nervous system
Autonomous, can also interact with sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the wall of the gastrointestinal tract contains many neurons
Where is the Meissner’s (submucosal) plexus found?
Submucosa
Where is the Auerbach’s (myenteric) plexus found?
Muscularis propria
Describe the Myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus
Controls activity of muscularis externa
Controls gut motor (motility) function
Tone, velocity of contraction and intensity of
contraction.
Describe the Submucosal (Meissner’s) plexus
Senses the local environment (gut lumen)
Controls secretion, blood flow, epithelial and
endocrine cell function
What is the myenteric plexus known as?
Auerbach plexus
What is the submucosal plexus known as?
Meissner’s plexus
Describe the enteric nervous system local reflex
Food enters gut lumen and stretches the intestinal smooth muscles
Distension of the gut causes stimulation of the sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus
Chemicals in food stimulates sensory neurons in submucosal plexus
Sequential contraction/relaxation of circular and longitudinal muscle by inhibitory/excitatory neurotransmitter causes peristalsis, which allows food to
move along the GI tract
What do circular muscles do during peristalsis?
Contract behind the bolus of food
What do longitudinal muscles do during peristalsis?
Contract ahead of the bolus causing it to shorten and widen to receive the bolus
What does sympathetic stimulation of the enteric nervous system do to the gut?
Reduces peristalsis, absorption, secretion and blood flow
via enteric nervous system and also directly
What does parasympathetic stimulation of the enteric nervous system do to the gut?
Increases peristalsis, absorption, secretion, blood flow
What is Hirschsprung’s disease? What is visible about the bowel for patients?
Congenital absence of ganglion of myenteric and submucosal
Tonal contraction without reciprocal relaxation
Intestinal distension proximal to ganglionic segment of bowel
Most will require surgery
The colon will be enlarged
What are the main endocrine gut hormones, what cells secrete them and where are they released?
Secreted by enteroendocrine cells
Hormone released into bloodstream
Main ones: gastrin, cholecystokinin, secretin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), motilin