ABSTRACT

Enteric nervous system directs and regulates the breakdown, absorption and elimination of food in our digestive system. However, alongside its digestive functions, enteric nervous system has also gained importance because of the discovery of its bidirectional link with intestinal flora, which has recently started to be considered as a separate organ in addiction to its digestive functions. Enteric nervous system contains approximately 100 million nerve cells, operates both independently and in coordination with the central nervous system, interacts with many neurotransmitters and is related to many conditions and structures such as the intestinal flora, mood, immune system and the efficiency of food utilization. It has a clinical importance on account of the diseases it is associated with. Recent studies focus on the connections between the intestinal flora, enteric nervous system and mechanisms of disease development. In order to understand these studies and pathological mechanisms it is essential to know the structure, connections and functioning of enteric nervous system. Considering these, we addressed the enteric nervous system and its communications with other structures of the digestive system.