Vagovagal reflex

Vagovagal reflex
Vagovagal reflex
	Control of stomach acid secretions. (ECL-cell at top center.)
Identifiers
TH	H3.04.02.0.00030
	Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Vagovagal reflex refers to gastrointestinal tract reflex circuits where afferent and efferent fibers of the vagus nerve^[1] coordinate responses to gut stimuli via the dorsal vagal complex in the brain. The vagovagal reflex controls contraction of the gastrointestinal muscle layers in response to distension of the tract by food. This reflex also allows for the accommodation of large amounts of food in the gastrointestinal tracts.

The vagus nerve, composed of both sensory afferents and parasympathetic efferents, carries signals from stretch receptors, osmoreceptors, and chemoreceptors to dorsal vagal complex where the signal may be further transmitted to autonomic centers in the medulla. Efferent fibers of the vagus then carry signals to the gastrointestinal tract up to two-thirds of the transverse colon (coinciding with the second GI watershed point).

^ Herman MA, Cruz MT, Sahibzada N, Verbalis J, Gillis RA (January 2009). "GABA signaling in the nucleus tractus solitarius sets the level of activity in dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus cholinergic neurons in the vagovagal circuit". Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 296 (1): G101–11. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.90504.2008. PMC 2636929. PMID 19008339.

[pmid19008339-1] Herman MA, Cruz MT, Sahibzada N, Verbalis J, Gillis RA (January 2009). "GABA signaling in the nucleus tractus solitarius sets the level of activity in dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus cholinergic neurons in the vagovagal circuit". Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 296 (1): G101–11. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.90504.2008. PMC 2636929. PMID 19008339.

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