Stress has been defined as an acute threat to the homeostasis of the organism. The mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, a single layer of epithelial cells held together by tight junctions, provides a barrier between the external environment and the body's internal milieu. Any mechanism that breaches the tight junction exposes the body to foreign material be it protein, microorganisms o...

Our understanding of the physiology of digestion, absorption, secretion, and motility in the gastrointestinal tract has improved immensely. Today it is well established that the gross functions of the gastrointestinal tract depend on the coordination between the muscles, nerves and hormones. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is involved in most of the physiological and pathophysiological process...