School of Medicine - Year 1 MBChB Curriculum

Lecture 1: "An overview of Digestion"

1. the the main regions of the gastrointestinal tract and the associated secretory organs
2. physiological control mechanisms - endocrine, paracrine and neural (extrinsic and intrinsic)
3. involuntary and voluntary muscle - context of the GIT motility (e.g. swallowing, peristalsis, defecation)
4. the autonomic and enteric innervation of the GI tract
5. GI function versus dysfunction (using clinical examples)

Useful links

• Digestive system
   
  
• The physiology of nutrient digestion and absorption
   
  
• The autonomic nervous system
   
  
• Acetylcholine, muscurinic and nicotinic receptors
   
  
• Digestion - hormonal control