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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Mechanisms Underlying Gut Hormone Secretion Using the Isolated Perfused Rat Small Intestine
Published on: February 26, 2019
Gastric secretion elicited by conditioning in rats
José Liberato Ferreira Caboclo1, Francico de Assis Cury, Aldenis Albanese Borin
1Department of Surgery, Medical School of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (FAMERP), SP, Brazil. liberatocaboclo@gmail.com
Cortical mechanisms can control interdigestive gastric acid secretion in rats. This study shows conditioned noise stimulation significantly increases gastric acid, suggesting a brain-gut link relevant to human digestive diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Physiology
Background:
- Interdigestive gastric acid secretion is crucial for digestion.
- The role of cortical mechanisms in regulating this process remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if memory-related cortical mechanisms control interdigestive gastric acid secretion.
- To evaluate the effect of conditioned sound stimuli on gastric secretion in rats.
Main Methods:
- Rats were conditioned using sound (CS) and food (US) pairing.
- Gastric juice was collected non-invasively.
- Gastric acid secretion and circulating gastrin levels were measured under basal and stimulated conditions.
Main Results:
- Conditioned rats showed significantly increased gastric acid secretion after 10 days of sound stimulation (p<0.01), with definitive significance by day 13 (p<0.001).
- Basal secretions also increased significantly after 16 days of conditioning.
- Noise-stimulated gastric acid secretion levels were exceptionally high, with no significant changes in circulating gastrin.
Conclusions:
- Cortical structures play a significant role in controlling interdigestive gastric acid secretion in rats.
- This brain-gut pathway may be implicated in human diseases involving inappropriate gastric acid secretion during interprandial periods.
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