Parasympathetic Innervation and Pancreatic Secretion

Abstract

The role of the antrum on vagally mediated pancreatic secretion was studied in 8 conscious dogs prepared with chronic pancreatic and gastric fistulae. After completion of control studies 6 were subjected to antrectomy and 2 to antroneurolysis (to interrupt submucosal nerve connections); secretory studies were repeated. With the animals secreting in response to secretin(0.03 u per kg-min) or secretin with cholecystokinin (0.05 u per kg-min), the following were administered: 1) insulin 0.2 u/kg; 2) atropine 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg; 3) insulin after atropine. Insulin hypoglycemia elicited a marked enzyme response. Both antrectomy and antroneurolysis markedly reduced (80%) the enzyme response to insulin hypoglycemia. Atropine 0.2 mg/kg abolished the insulin response and at 0.4 mg/kg inhibited (50%) the enzyme response to cholecystokinin; these effects were unaltered by antrectomy or antroneurolysis. These experiments suggest that the pancreatic enzyme response to insulin hypoglycemia is predominantly mediated through the vagal release of antral gastrin. Furthermore, antrectomy and antroneurolysis do not affect the enzyme response to cholecystokinin nor do they alter the inhibitory effects of atropine. The inhibitio- by atropine suggests that a cholinergic background exerts a permissive effect on CCK-mediated enzyme secretion.

Hypothalamus–Brain Stem Circuitry Responsible for Vagal Efferent Signaling to the Pancreas Evoked By Hypoglycemia in Rat

“…Hypoglycemia is a fact of life for people with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, who typically suffer countless episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia over a lifetime of diabetes (Cryer 1997). Insulin-induced hypoglycemia traditionally has been used as an experimental tool to stimulate vagally mediated gastric acid and pancreatic enzyme secretion (Rosenberg et al 1976;Smith et al 1981;Wettergren et al 1998). The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in regulating the glucagon response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (Taborsky 2001).…”

Effects of antral distension on pancreatic exocrine secretion dogs: Evidence for a short reflex.

“…This discrepancy may be due to the difference between conscious dogs and anesthetized or decerebrated dogs. In conscious dogs, gastrin release may participate in cephalic and gastric phases of the pancreatic response, but its relative contribution is not certain (PRESHAW et al, 1965a, b;ORAFOOD et al, 1972;CSENDES et al, 1972;DEBAS et al, 1976;ROSENBERG et al, 1976;IMPICCIATORE et al, 1977;DEBAS and YAMAGISHI, 1978;FOKINA et al, 1979;GUZMAN et al, 1980;JOHNSON et al, 1982). Further, it was shown that rhythmic pancreatic secretion occurred following spontaneous forceful antral contractions after splanchnicectomy in vagotomized dogs, and it was completely abolished by tight ligature around the pyloric sphincter from the serosal side in spite of a continuance of antral contractions.…”