Journal of Neural Transmission

, Volume 48, Issue 3, pp 177–188 | Cite as

The transmission mechanism of the vagal control of the feline pylorus

  • R. Edin
  • H. Ahlman
  • A. Dahlstrom
  • J. Kewenter
Article
Received:
  • 15 Downloads

Summary

Gastric motility and pyloric contractility were studied in laparotomized cats under chloralose anaesthesia by recording the intragastric volume and changes in an applied constant transpyloric flow of body-warm saline. Unilateralefferent electrical stimulation of the cervical vagi resulted in a prompt gastric contraction and a delayed pyloric contraction. In one third of the animals abiphasic pyloric motor response, consisting of a short period of increased flow preceding the longlasting decrease or cessation of the flow was observed. Afteratropine (0.2 mg/kg b.w.) the vagal nerve stimulation resulted in agastric relaxation, while the biphasic pyloric motor response was even more pronounced, with a significantly longer latency of the contractile phase. Addition ofguanethidine (2 mg/kg b.w.) did not affect these motor responses. Afterhexamethonium (25 mg/kg i.v. and 50±10 mg per kg i.a. b.w.) the stimulation procedure still resulted in a slight gastric relaxation, while the pyloric contraction was effectively blocked. However, the relaxatory phase required theaddition of atropine to become antagonized indicating separate transmission mechanisms for the relaxatory and contractile components of the pyloric motor response at efferent vagal stimulation.

When the pyloric motor response atafferent cervical vagal nerve stimulation was studied, using similar parameters, amonophasic pyloric contraction was obtained, which in all animals was antagonized by hexamethonium and infrequently by atropine. The results obtained indicate that not only classical cholinergic receptors, but also nonclassical (e.g. peptidergic receptors) are involved in the complex pyloric motor responses at efferent Stimulation. The pyloric contraction obtained at afferent stimulation was, however, possible to block with hexamethonium, indicating a transmission via ganglionic receptors.

Key words

Electrical stimulation vagus nerve transmission atropine guanethidine hexamethonium cat 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Ahlman, H.: Fluorescence histochemical studies on serotonin in the small intestine and the influence of vagal nerve stimulation. Acta Physiol. Scand., Suppl. 437 (1976).Google Scholar
  2. Behar, J., Biancani, P., Zabinski, M. P. Characterization of feline gastroduodenal junction by neural and hormonal stimulation. Amer. J. Physiol.236, E45-E51 (1979).Google Scholar
  3. Burks, T. F., Long, J. P. Catecholamine-induced release of 5-hydroxytryptamine from perfused vasculature of isolated dog intestine. J. Pharm. Sci.55, 1383–1386 (1966).Google Scholar
  4. Burnstock, G. Purinergic nerves. Pharmacol. Rev.24, 509–581 (1972).Google Scholar
  5. Edin, R., Ahlman, H., Kewenter, J. The vagal control of the feline pyloric sphincter. Acta Physiol. Scand.107, 169–174 (1979).Google Scholar
  6. Edin, R., Lundberg, J. M., Ahlman, H., Dahlström, A., Fahrenkrug, J., Hökfelt, T., Kewenter, J. On the VIP-ergic innervation of the feline pylorus. Acta Physiol. Scand.107, 185–187 (1979).Google Scholar
  7. Edin, R., Lundberg, J. M., Terenius, L., Dahlström, A., Hökfelt, T., Kewenter, J., Ahlman, H.: Evidence for vagal enkephalinergic neural control of the feline pylorus and stomach. Gastroenterology (in press, 1980).Google Scholar
  8. Eklund, S., Jodal, M., Lundgren, O., Sjöquist, A. Effects of VIP on blood flow, motility and fluid transport in the gastrointestinal tract of the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand.105, 461–468 (1979).Google Scholar
  9. Fahrenkrug, J., Galbo, H., Hoist, J. J., Schaffalitzky de Muckadell: Influence of the autonomie nervous system on the release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide from the porcine gastrointestinal tract. J. Physiol. (Lond.)280, 405–422 (1978).Google Scholar
  10. Goyal, R. K., Rattan, S. Nature of the vagal inhibitory innervation to the lower esophageal sphincter. J. Clin. Invest.55, 1119–1126 (1975).Google Scholar
  11. Hultén, L.: Extrinsic nervous control of colonie motility and blood flow. Acta Physiol. Scand., Suppl. 335 (1969).Google Scholar
  12. Innes, I. R., Nickerson, M. Atropine, scopolamine, and related antimuscarinic drugs. In: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Goodman, L. S., Gilman, A., eds.), pp. 514–532. New York: Macmillan. 1975.Google Scholar
  13. Jansson, G., Martinson, J. Studies on the ganglionic site of action of sympathetic outflow to the stomach. Acta Physiol. Scand.68, 184–192 (1966).Google Scholar
  14. Kewenter, J.: The vagal control of the jejunum and duodenum motility and blood flow. Acta Physiol. Scand., Suppl. 251 (1965).Google Scholar
  15. Lundberg, J. M., Hökfelt, T., Kewenter, J., Dahlström, A., Nilsson, G., Terenius, L., Pettersson, G., Ablman, H., Edin, R., Uvnäs-Wallen-sten, K., Said, S. Substance P-, VIP-, and enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the human vagus nerve. Gastroenterology77, 468–471 (1979).Google Scholar
  16. Martinson, J., Muren, A. Excitatory and inhibitory effects of vagus stimulation on gastric motility in the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand.57, 307–316 (1963).Google Scholar
  17. Martinson, J. Vagal relaxation of the stomach. Experimental reinvestigation of the concept of the transmission mechanism. Acta Physiol. Scand.64, 453–462 (1965 a).Google Scholar
  18. Martinson, J. The effect of graded vagal stimulation on gastric motility, secretion and blood flow in the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand.65, 300–309 (1965 b).Google Scholar
  19. Mir, S. S., Telford, G. L., Mason, G. R., Ormsbee III, H. S. Noncholinergic nonadrenergic inhibitory innervation of the canine pylorus. Gastroenterology76, 1443–1448 (1979).Google Scholar
  20. Nickerson, M., Collier, B. Drugs inhibiting adrenergic nerves and structures innervated by them. In: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Goodman, L. S., Gilman, A., eds.), pp. 533–564. New York: Macmillan. 1975.Google Scholar
  21. Pahlin, P. E.: Extrinsic nervous control of the ileo-cecal sphincter in the cat. Acta Physiol. Scand., Suppl. 426 (1975).Google Scholar
  22. Rattan, S., Said, S., Goyal, R. K. Effect of VIP on the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP). Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.155, 40–43 (1979).Google Scholar
  23. Schofield, G. C. Anatomy of muscular and neural tissues in the alimentary canal. Handb. Physiol.4 (sect. 6), 1579–1627 (1968).Google Scholar
  24. Telford, G. L., Mir, S. S., Mason, G. R., Ormsbee III, H. S. Neural control of the canine pylorus. Amer. J. Surg.137, 92–98 (1979).Google Scholar
  25. Uddman, R., Alumets, J., Edvinsson, L., Håkansson, R., Sundler, F. Peptidergic innervation of the esophagus. Gastroenterology75, 5–8 (1978).Google Scholar
  26. Uvnäs-Wallensten, K., Uvnäs, B., Nilsson, G. Quantitative aspects on the vagal control of gastrin release in cats. Acta Physiol. Scand.96, 19–28 (1976).Google Scholar
  27. Uvnäs-Wallensten, K. Release of substance P-like immunoreactivity into the antral lumen of cats. Acta Physiol. Scand.104, 464–468 (1978).Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1980

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. Edin
    • 1
  • H. Ahlman
    • 1
  • A. Dahlstrom
    • 1
  • J. Kewenter
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Surgery III and Institute of NeurobiologyUniversity of GöteborgGöteborgSweden

Personalised recommendations