Brainstem circuits regulating gastric function
Open accessAbstract
Brainstem parasympathetic circuits that modulate digestive functions of the stomach are comprised of afferent vagal fibers, neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), and the efferent fibers originating in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). A large body of evidence has shown that neuronal communications between the NTS and the DMV are plastic and are regulated by the presence of a variety of neurotransmitters and circulating hormones as well as the presence, or absence, of afferent input to the NTS. These data suggest that descending central nervous system inputs as well as hormonal and afferent feedback resulting from the digestive process can powerfully regulate vago-vagal reflex sensitivity. This paper first reviews the essential "static" organization and function of vago-vagal gastric control neurocircuitry. We then present data on the opioidergic modulation of NTS connections with the DMV as an example of the "gating" of these reflexes, i.e., how neurotransmitters, hormones, and vagal afferent traffic can make an otherwise static autonomic reflex highly plastic.
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Lesions and impaired circuits in the brainstem can alter gastric motor function by interrupting parasympathetic pathways, including vagal afferent fibers, neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii, and preganglionic efferents arising from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus.
“Lesions and impaired circuits in the brainstem can alter gastric motor function by interrupting parasympathetic pathways, including vagal afferent fibers, neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), and preganglionic efferents arising from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) (Travagli et al., 2006).”
From Autonomic nervous system and gastrointestinal manifestations with an emphasis on gastric dysfunction (2026) · cites this paper as Travagli et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Travagli, R. A., Hermann, G. E., Browning, K. N., & Rogers, R. C.
- Affiliations
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Physiology
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2006-01-01
- Volume
- 68
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 279-305
- ISSN
- 0066-4278 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-1585
- PMC
- PMC3062484
- OpenAlex
- W2131361751
- Cited by
- 498
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 2.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Annual Review of Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK56373, DK- 55530, DK-52142, R01DK052142, R01DK055530, R01DK056373)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Keywords
- brainstem, gastric function, vago-vagal reflex, nucleus tractus solitarius, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, vagal afferents, opioid modulation, hormonal regulation, gastric motility
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain Stem, Humans, Nerve Net, Stomach, Vagus Nerve
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