Effects of Stimulation of the Insular Cortex on Execution of the Antrofundal Reflex in Conscious Dogs

Neuroanatomical studies demonstrated the existence of direct descending projections from the insular cortex to the area of the solitary tract nucleus responsible for mediating the vagovagal reflexes of the proximal part of the gastrointestinal tract. These studies provided grounds for suggesting that one of the mechanisms mediating the influences of the insular cortex on stomach function may be modulation of its vagovagal reflex reactions, one of which is the antrofundal inhibitory reflex. Experiments on conscious dogs were performed to study the effects of electrical stimulation of the insular cortex on execution of the antrofundal gastric reflex in conditions of intermittent gastrointestinal tract activity during fasting. Stretching of the walls of the antral segment of the stomach during the active period of intermittent gastric activity led to suppression of contractions in the fundal segment. Electrical stimulation of the insular cortex was found to prolong this reflex reaction. Thus, one result of activation of the insular area of the cortex is enhancement of the inhibitory vagovagal gastric reflexes, in all probability occurring as a result of modulation of neurotransmission in the vagovagal reflex arc system.