Stress, the adrenergic hypothalamovagal pathway, and the aetiology of chronic duodenal ulceration.
In the rat, stress activates the hypothalamus causing central adrenergic discharge with delivery of an alpha-adrenergic stimulus by the adrenergic hypothalamovagal pathway to the stomach. This stimulus controls intragastric blood flow and 5-HT release. In rats stressed pharmacologically by administration of intraperitoneal reserpine (0.1 mg/kg), the stimulated pathway releases gastric 5-HT which in turn significantly increases gastric acid secretion. Administration of intramuscular reserpine (0.1 mg/kg) every 24 hr for six weeks significantly (p less than 0.001 by Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test) increased the basal acid output of the rat stomach (12 mumol/h +/- 0.5 vs 38.1 mumol/h +/- 2.4, mean +/- SEM) and produced duodenal ulceration in 83.3% of animals. Vagotomy completely protected the rat stomach against these effects. The data show that prolonged stress in the rat stimulates gastric acid secretion and produces duodenal ulceration.
D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000294:innervation; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*