Neural influences on human esophageal and salivary alkali secretion.
Esophageal secretion HCO3- ions occurs in opossum and man and may contribute to mucosal defense. Using a perfusion technique, neuroregulatory influences on esophageal and salivary HCO3- secretion were investigated in 24 healthy human subjects. The sight and smell of food increased median salivary HCO3- output from 424 to 573 mumol/15 min (P = 0.014), without significantly altering esophageal HCO3- secretion (74-105 mumol/15 min, P = 0.24). Atropine reduced both salivary (610 to 68, 17, 10, and 3 mumol/15 min in successive periods; P < 0.028) and esophageal HCO3- output (108 to 78, 35, 18, and 7 mumol/10 cm/15 min; P < 0.028, respectively. Following atropinization, cholinergic stimulation failed to increase salivary secretion but did "unmask" a small rise in esophageal alkali output (7 to 27 mumol/10 cm/15 min, P = 0.036), implicating a noncholinergic mechanism. Cold-induced pain activated sympathetic reflexes and reduced esophageal HCO3- output (91 to 64 mumol/10 cm/15 min, P = 0.041) without influencing salivary secretion. These observations support a role for the autonomic nervous system in modulating human esophageal and salivary HCO3- secretion.
Brown
C M
CM
Department of Gastroenterology, Hope Hospital, University of Manchaster, School of Medicine, UK.
Snowdon
C F
CF
Slee
B
B
Sandle
L N
LN
Rees
W D
WD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004435:Eating; D004947:Esophagus / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D001639:Bicarbonates; D001285:Atropine