Control of gastrointestinal motility by the gut brain - The enteric nervous system

The enteric nervous system (ENS) as the brain of the gut is pivotal for normal muscle activity in the gut. Neuronal circuits within the ENS are designed to control gut motility independent of central inputs. To fulfill this task the ENS contains all necessary elements for coding mechanical and chemical stimuli, interneuronal communication and efferent output to the muscle. This review provides a summary of the ENS circuits that control muscle activity, the main transmitters and neuro-modulators involved and the functional implications for the normal and diseased gut.