Evidence for the existence of a gastropancreatic reflex

¹ Departments of Surgery and of Pharmacology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington

The effect of distention of the stomach on pancreatic secretion was studied in conscious dogs which had chronic pancreatic fistulae. The results obtained are given. a) In 37 experiments on 23 dogs the average rate of pancreatic secretion was 1.7 cc/20 minutes, while after inflation of a condom in the stomach with 250–400 cc of air the secretion increased in every dog to an average of 4.2 cc/20 minutes (147% change). This was accompanied by an increase in protein production of 98.7%. In five dogs receiving maximal stimulus from continuous secretin, there was a further rise in volume and protein following gastric distention. b) Subcutaneous transplants of the pancreas responsed to secretin but not to gastric distention. c) Distention of four total innervated gastric pouches produced the same increase in volume and protein as distention of intact stomachs. d) Increased secretion was not observed after distention in vagotomized or atropinized dogs or dogs with procaine block of the vagus in the neck. e) An increase in rate of secretion and protein occurred after distention of the stomach in two human subjects with pancreatic fistulae.