Vagal and sympathetic control of gastric and duodenal bicarbonate secretion

This report summarizes data concerning the extrinsic neural control of bicarbonate secretion by the gastric and duodenal mucosa. Parasympathetic vagal effects have been studied in experimental animals and in man by means of direct electrical vagal stimulation, sham-feeding procedures and intracerebroventricular peptide injections. The results show that the vagal nerves have a stimulatory effect on gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion. Furthermore, both conventional nicotinic and muscarinic cholinoceptor, as well as non-cholinergic transmission, mediate the vagal effect. Sympathetic splanchnic nerve effects have been investigated by means of nerve sections, direct electrical stimulation, reflex activation and stereotaxic electrical hypothalamic stimulation. The data show that the splanchnic nerves have a predominantly inhibitory action on gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion by use of peripheral adrenergic neurones and receptors of the alpha-2 subtype. The role of the adrenal glands is not fully understood. It is concluded that gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion is under autonomic neural control, mainly in the classical antagonistic fashion; the parasympathetic vagal nerves stimulate bicarbonate output, whereas the sympathetic splanchnic nerves are mainly inhibitory.