Mildred K. Dimick

THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND PANCREAS IN INTESTINAL FUNCTION

It is generally accepted that the hypothalamus controls nutritional processes through the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. Information is slowly accumulating to indicate that the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system do not act independently but rather, interact so intimately that it may be difficult to differentiate between neural and endocrine activity. Epinephrine increases blood sugar levels through its activation of phosphorylase which acts to convert glycogen to glucose; or epinephrine may increase blood sugar levels through a central nervous system component which activates a “vago-insulin” system which apparently plays a role in the elevation of blood sugar levels (Rosenberg & DiStefano, 1962). Norepinephrine inhibits the release of insulin; as a consequence it will be difficult to interpret results obtained with norepinephrine, since the results obtained may be due to the action of norepinephrine per se or to the impairment in the release of insulin (Porte, Jr. & Williams, 1966). Adrenocorticotropin may act directly on the adrenal cortex or on the adipose tissues or it may act indirectly through the adrenergic system since it stimulates the synthesis of adrenalin from noradrenalin (Wurtman & Axelrod, 1965). The pancreas seems to have cholinergic activity since pancreatectomy impairs the synthesis of acetylcholine in nerve endings (Gutkin, 1963).