Skip to main content

The Gastrointestinal System

  • Chapter
The Psychobiology of Emotions

Part of the book series: Emotions, Personality, and Psychotherapy ((EPPS))

  • 180 Accesses

Abstract

Both aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) cellular metabolisms require simple hydrocarbons. Although the tissues of both plants and animals are composed of hydrocarbons, these organic compounds are too complex chemically for use in cellular metabolism. The two basic functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) system are to chemically break down the complex hydrocarbons contained in food into simple hydrocarbons and to expel chemical wastes such as fiber that cannot be digested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Suggested Readings

  • Burch, H. The golden cage: The enigma of anorexia nervousa. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1977. A good introduction to the clinical literature on eating disorders.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holzl, R., and Whitehead, W. E. (Eds.). Psychophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract. New York: Plenum Press, 1983. An excellent collection of original articles on GI-tract correlates of emotions.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, E. Progressive relaxation (2nd ed.) Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1938. A classic study of the effects of skeletal muscle tension on psychophysiological disorders.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Thompson, J.G. (1988). The Gastrointestinal System. In: The Psychobiology of Emotions. Emotions, Personality, and Psychotherapy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2121-5_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2121-5_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2123-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2121-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics