Stress-Response
Acute Stress Response: Gastrointestinal Tract
at times of rest or feeding (low stress), see high parasympathetic tone of ANS associated with digestive processes:
- secretion of saliva in the mouth
- secretion of digestive enzymes, hormones and mucus in the stomach and intestines
- stimulation of stomach churning and gut motility
under stress conditions, see high sympathetic tone of ANS:
all of the digestive processes are inhibited
- one obvious sign of stress: our mouths become dry when we are nervous because we stop secreting saliva
decreased blood flow to the GI tract
increased defecation (imbalance between parasympathetic and sympathetic control)