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Extrinsic Sensory Innervation of the Gut: Structure and Function
Simon Brookes1, Nan Chen2, Adam Humenick2
1Human Physiology, FMST, School of Medicine, Flinders University, 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. simon.brookes@flinders.edu.au.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|July 6, 2016
Summary
Extrinsic sensory neurons in the gut transmit sensations and reflexes. Recent advances have improved understanding of these gastrointestinal afferent nerves and their roles in gut function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Physiology
Background:
- Extrinsic sensory neurons are crucial for gastrointestinal (GI) function, mediating gut sensations and initiating reflexes.
- Disordered GI sensation can lead to clinical issues like pain, bloating, urgency, and nausea.
- While somatic sensory neurons are well-studied, visceral sensory neurons remain less understood due to complex autonomic innervation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the state of knowledge regarding GI extrinsic sensory neurons 30 years ago.
- To highlight significant advancements in understanding the types and functions of these neurons.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature focusing on gastrointestinal afferent nerves.
- Analysis of studies distinguishing different classes of sensory neurons and their encoded stimuli.
Main Results:
- Significant progress has been made in differentiating various classes of extrinsic sensory neurons innervating the gut.
- Understanding has advanced regarding the specific stimuli encoded by different gastrointestinal afferent nerves.
Conclusions:
- Distinguishing between different classes of sensory neurons is essential for understanding the origin of gut sensations.
- Recent research has substantially improved our ability to classify and understand the roles of extrinsic sensory neurons in the GI tract.
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