[Gastrointestinal motility and autonomic nerve dysfunction].

Gastrointestinal motility is greatly influenced by both the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the enteric nervous system (ENS). Dysfunction of ANS and/or ENS produces various kinds of dysmotility from the esophagus to the colon. Generalized autonomic dysfunction, often seen in diabetics, causes abnormal peristaltic waves in the esophagus, abnormal electrical activity of the stomach, delayed gastric emptying and delayed intestinal transit. Localized disorders of the enteric nervous system is seen in patients with achalasia and Hirschsprung's diseases. Functional disorders, without evidence of organic disorders, like non-cardiac chest pain, non-ulcer dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, can be partly caused by abnormal function of autonomic nervous system.