How are the activities of the gastro-intestinal tract regulated?
The activities of the gastrointestinal tract are regulated through two primary mechanisms: neural control and hormonal control.
1. Neural Control:
- The neural control involves the nervous system, which influences the digestive process through specific neurotransmitters.
- Acetylcholine: This neurotransmitter is released by the parasympathetic nervous system and plays a crucial role in stimulating the secretion of digestive juices, enhancing digestion.
- Adrenaline: In contrast, adrenaline, which is associated with the sympathetic nervous system, inhibits the secretion of digestive juices. This highlights the opposing effects of the two branches of the autonomic nervous system.
2. Functions Under Neural Control:
- Two key processes that are regulated by neural control are:
- Salivation: The production of saliva is stimulated by the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Peristalsis: This is the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract, which is also under neural control.
3. Hormonal Control:
- Hormonal regulation involves specific hormones that are released into the bloodstream to regulate various digestive processes.
- Gastrin: This hormone stimulates the secretion of gastric juices in the stomach.
- Pancreozyme: This hormone regulates the secretion of pancreatic juices, which are essential for digestion in the small intestine.
- Cholecystokinin (CCK): This hormone stimulates the release of bile from the gallbladder, aiding in fat digestion.
- Enterocrinin: This hormone regulates the secretion of intestinal glands, promoting digestive enzyme release in the intestines.
4. Summary of Controls:
- In summary, the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract is a complex interplay between neural and hormonal controls, where neural control primarily involves neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and adrenaline, while hormonal control involves specific hormones like gastrin, pancreozyme, cholecystokinin, and enterocrinin.
Activities of digestive system regulate both Harmon and neural reflexes