Other Autonomic Reflexes That Affect Bowel Activity

Other Autonomic Reflexes That Affect Bowel Activity

Aside from the duodenocolic, gastrocolic, gastroileal, enterogastric, and defecation reflexes that have been discussed, several other important nervous reflexes also can affect the overall degree of bowel activity. They are the peritoneointestinal reflex, renointestinal reflex, and vesicointestinal reflex.

        The peritoneointestinal reflex results from irritation of the peritoneum; it strongly inhibits the excitatory enteric nerves and thereby can cause intestinal paral- ysis, especially in patients with peritonitis. The reno- intestinal and vesicointestinal reflexes inhibit intestinal activity as a result of kidney or bladder irritation.