HS 2211 - Human Anatomy and Physiology Discussion Forum Unit 6 Nerves and Digestion Assess how the enteric nervous system supports the digestive system. What might occur that could result in the autonomic nervous system having a negative impact on digestion? Demonstrate your understanding of the material presented in Chapter 23 by correctly defining and using at least 4 anatomic and/or physiologic terms related to the structural and/or functional organization of the human digestive system as related to the clinical scenario you introduce to your readers. Your discussion must be at least 250 words in length, detailing your thoughts and position using 2 references from the readings for support. Also be sure to pose 1-2 well thought out questions from which your colleagues can formulate a response or generate further discussion. Be sure to cite any references using APA format. In this week's reading assignment, our class learned about the enteric nervous system and which supports the digestive system. More specifically, the
enteric nervous system controls the motions of the gastrointestinal tract, controls changes in the local blood flow and the release of gut hormones, and communicates with the gut immune system. In humans, it develops during the final few months of pregnancy and after delivery (OpenStax, 2018). The enteric nervous system aids in digestion. However, sympathetic innervation can stimulate the alimentary canal when a person is extremely worried, which could slow down the digestion process. As a result, in the event of worry, the autonomic nervous system may negatively affect digestion Afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) nerves are present in the enteric nervous system connections between the stomach and the brain, much like in other peripheral nervous systems. Between 200 and 600 million neurons make up the enteric nervous system, and 20 different kinds of neurons, perhaps hundreds or thousands more in the brain have been recognized based on many factors including morphology, chemical characteristics, physiology, and functional functions. The enteric nervous system is sometimes referred to as the "second brain" or "the brain in the gut" due to its intricacy (OpenStax, 2018). Its neurons are arranged in tens of thousands of ganglia, which are further split into myenteric and submucosal regions. The myenteric ganglia, which are mostly motor neurons, are arranged in a network encircling the
gut that extends from the upper esophagus to the internal anal sphincter (OpenStax, 2018). The majority of the main afferent sensory neurons are concentrated in the small and large intestines where the submucosal ganglia are located. Three types of neurons make up the enteric nervous system: intrinsic primary afferent neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons(OpenStax, 2018). Peristalsis, rhythmic muscular contractions that transport material down the digestive tract, is controlled by motor neurons in the enteric nervous system. The ability of enteric neurons to control the vomiting reflex is crucial in situations when vomiting occurs as a side effect of medicinal treatments, such as chemotherapy. There's research indicates that the stomach, enteric neural system, and central nervous system are more closely linked than previously