ROLE OF EXTRINSIC ANTRAL NERVES IN REGULATION OF GASTRIC-EMPTYING

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 145  (3) , 369-377
Abstract
In 6 conscious dogs with chronically implanted gastric and duodenal electrodes, gastric emptying of 40 radiopaque plastic spheres, with a diameter of 7 mm and a specific gravity of 1.6, was assessed fluoroscopically during fasting and after the feeding of 25 g of 1 cm cubes of boiled beef liver. Gastric emptying of 400 ml of 154 mM NaCl marked with 14C PEG [polyethylene glycol] was measured. The extrinsic antral nerves were then transected, and after recovery the tests were repeated. Before antral denervation, gastric spheres were emptied predominantly during activity fronts, the 5-15 min bursts of action potentials and contractions that sweep aborally from the stomach to the colon every 2 h during fasting. Feeding abolished activity fronts for about 8 h and delayed gastric emptying of the spheres. After antral denervation, antral activity fronts were irregular, less frequent and of shorter duration, and the spheres emptied slower during fasting and after feeding. The emptying of isotonic NaCl was unchanged. Antral extrinsic nerves enhance gastric emptying of solid spheres but not of isotonic NaCl.