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Stress-induced changes in the gastrointestinal motor system
1CHUM, Saint-Luc Campus, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada. victor.plourde@sympatico.ca
Summary
Stress significantly impacts gastrointestinal (GI) motility through complex neural pathways. Responses vary based on stressor type, intensity, and species, potentially causing long-term changes in GI smooth muscle.
Area of Science:
- Neurogastroenterology
- Stress Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
Background:
- Stress triggers diverse autonomic, hormonal, and neuropeptidergic responses.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) motility is modulated by stress via central mechanisms, notably corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF).
- Autonomic neural pathways are crucial for stress-induced GI motility changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize current knowledge on stress effects on GI motility.
- To explore variations in stress responses across different stimuli, species, and time courses.
- To discuss the implications of stress-induced GI changes and future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal models and human studies investigating stress and GI motility.
- Analysis of findings related to gastric emptying, intestinal transit, and colonic function under stress.
- Examination of central and neural pathway involvement in stress-related GI modulation.
Main Results:
- Stress consistently retards gastric emptying in animals, except for cold stress which accelerates it.
- Animal studies show stress accelerates intestinal and colonic transit, increasing fecal output.
- Human studies indicate stress inhibits gastric emptying (cold water immersion) and alters small bowel patterns (labyrinthine stimulation).
Conclusions:
- Stress-induced GI motility alterations are stimulus- and intensity-dependent.
- Chronic stress may lead to lasting changes in enteric smooth muscle properties.
- Specific neuronal pathways are preferentially activated by different stressors, influencing GI responses.