| [ Summary ] |
Gastrointestinal hormones play various physiological roles by acting on the central and peripheral tissues. Among these roles, the induction of gastrointestinal motility, followed by feeding behavior modulation, induced by gastrointestinal hormones, is important for the maintenance of the biological energy metabolism and the overall quality of life. In addition, dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal motility cause several disorders such as diabetic gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, and small‒intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Patterns of gastrointestinal motility differ between the fasting and postprandial states. In the fasting state, a characteristic contraction, called the migrating motor complex (MMC), is observed, which is considered to clean the gastrointestinal tract environment and thereby, prevent bacterial overgrowth. Recently, Suncus mirinus (house musk shrew) was revealed as a useful small laboratory animal when it comes to conducting research on gastrointestinal motility, because it possesses the motilin and ghrelin systems. This model allows a detailed examination of the neural network and the relationship between the hormones and the nervous system, involved in gastrointestinal motility. In this chapter, we summarize the recent findings on the regulatory mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal motility and feeding behavior, involving gastrointestinal hormones, especially ghrelin and motilin. |