Functional disorders of the pancreas
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The function of the pancreas, like other digestive organs, is largely influenced by the central nervous system. Various stressful situations, especially recurring, long-term depressive conditions can be accompanied by temporary changes in the functions of all body systems, including changes in pancreatic suction.
In the first case (with excitation, stress), there is usually some increase in sapping, in the second - the suppression of its secretion (as well as many functions of organs and body systems). It goes without saying that these influences of the central regulatory bodies do not directly affect the function of this organ, but include the entire system of regulatory mechanisms, which includes the hormones of certain endocrine glands and a number of gastrointestinal hormones, a system of prostaglandins, etc.
Functional disorders of the pancreas often accompany other diseases of the digestive system-ulcer disease, cholecystitis, chronic gastritis, duodenitis, etc.
The main predisposing factors for the onset of functional disorders of the pancreas in peptic ulcer disease are the pronounced dyskinesia of the duodenum, the development and progression of duodenitis, the considerable duration of peptic ulcer and its frequent recurrence. The nature of functional changes in the pancreas during peptic ulcer in different patients is ambiguous, but the activity of pancreatic enzymes (amylase, trypsin, lipase) in duodenal contents (this is determined by duodenal probing) and their moderate increase in blood are more often observed. Some researchers observed "dissociation of pancreatic fermentation": increased amylase activity in duodenal contents, decreased 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: mild dyspepsia, rumbling or "transfusion" in the abdomen, somewhat rapid stools of a formed or semiformed consistency. Thus, the manifestations are very modest, only neuropathic subjects can attract attention and cause anxiety and a desire to consult a doctor. It should be noted, however, that psychogenic and neurogenic impairments of pancreatic function are usually not isolated: gastric secretion, secretion of the intestinal glands are reduced, and, possibly, absorption processes are 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" violation. If the negative, inhibitory factor acts long enough, even some atrophy of the parenchyma of the pancreas is possible.
Functional disorders of the pancreas, as noted above, can have different causes, it is impossible, in particular, to exclude visceral-visceral reflexes from diseased organs.
Symptoms of functional disorders of the pancreas
Treatment and prevention of functional disorders of the pancreas. It is in the correct regular balanced nutrition, timely detection and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, against which the secondary involvement of the pancreas into the pathological process is possible. As a temporary symptomatic remedy, the drugs recommended for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency are useful: pancreatin, panzinorm, festal, solizim, somilase, etc.
What do need to examine?
How to examine?
What tests are needed?