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Functional disorders of the pancreas

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
 
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The function of the pancreas, like other digestive organs, is largely influenced by the central nervous system. Various stressful situations, especially recurring ones, and long-term depressive states can be accompanied by temporary changes in the functions of all body systems, including changes in pancreatic juice secretion.

In the first case (during excitement, stress) there is usually some increase in juice secretion, in the second - suppression of its secretion (as well as many functions of the organs and systems of the body). It goes without saying that these influences of the central regulatory organs do not so much directly affect the function of this organ, but include the entire system of regulatory mechanisms, which includes hormones of some endocrine glands and a number of gastrointestinal hormones, the prostaglandin system, etc.

Functional disorders of the pancreas often accompany other diseases of the digestive system - peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, chronic gastritis, duodenitis, etc.

The main predisposing factors for the development of functional disorders of the pancreas in peptic ulcer disease are the characteristic severe dyskinesia of the duodenum, the development and progression of duodenitis, the significant duration of peptic ulcer disease and its frequent recurrence. The nature of functional changes in the pancreas in peptic ulcer disease in different patients is ambiguous, but most often there is a decrease in the activity of pancreatic enzymes (amylase, trypsin, lipase) in the duodenal contents (this is determined by duodenal intubation) and their moderate increase in the blood. Some researchers have observed "dissociation of pancreatic enzyme secretion": an increase in amylase activity in the duodenal contents, a decrease in lipase activity and other changes.

Causes of functional disorders of the pancreas

Symptoms of functional disorders of the pancreas in relatively mild cases of neurogenic genesis are insignificant: moderate dyspeptic phenomena, a feeling of rumbling or "overflowing" in the abdomen, somewhat frequent stool of formed or semi-formed consistency. Thus, the manifestations are very modest, only in neuropathic subjects can they attract attention and cause anxiety and a desire to see a doctor. It should be noted, however, that psychogenic and neurogenic decreases in pancreatic function are usually not isolated: gastric secretion is reduced, secretion of intestinal glands, and absorption processes are possibly disrupted. Therefore, functional disorders of the pancreas, especially if they continue for a long time, are not such a "harmless" deviation from the norm or a "functional" disorder. If a negative, inhibitory factor acts for a long time, even some atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma is possible.

Functional disorders of the pancreas, as noted above, can have various causes; in particular, viscero-visceral reflexes from diseased organs cannot be excluded.

Symptoms of functional disorders of the pancreas

Treatment and prevention of functional disorders of the pancreas. Consists of correct regular balanced nutrition, timely detection and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, against which secondary involvement of the pancreas in the pathological process is possible. As a temporary symptomatic remedy, drugs recommended for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency are useful: pancreatin, panzinorm, festal, solizyme, somilase, etc.

Treatment of functional disorders of the pancreas

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