Other neurons control the secretion of enzymes. Through intestinal muscles, the motor neurons control peristalsis and churning of intestinal contents. The sensory neurons report on mechanical and chemical conditions. In vertebrates, the enteric nervous system includes efferent neurons, afferent neurons, and interneurons, all of which make the enteric nervous system capable of carrying reflexes and acting as an integrating center in the absence of CNS input. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function. It normally communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic (e.g., via the prevertebral ganglia) nervous systems. The enteric nervous system can operate autonomously. The enteric nervous system has been described as a "second brain" for several reasons. Its study is the focus of neurogastroenterology. The ENS is capable of autonomous functions like the coordination of reflexes although it receives considerable innervation from the autonomic nervous system, it can and does operate independently of the brain and the spinal cord. It functions as a pathway for the innervation in the mucosa layer of the gastrointestinal wall. It was discovered and named by German physiologist Georg Meissner. The submucosal plexus (also known as Meissner's plexus) is found in the submucosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract. The large presence of serotonin and dopamine in the gut are key areas of research for neurogastroenterologists. These neurons communicate through many neurotransmitters similar to the CNS, including acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin. The neurons of the enteric nervous system control the motor functions of the system, in addition to the secretion of gastrointestinal enzymes. However, studies have shown that the system is operable with a severed vagus nerve. The enteric nervous system is capable of operating independently of the brain and spinal cord, but does rely on innervation from the vagus nerve and prevertebral ganglia in healthy subjects. It is capable of acting independently of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, although it may be influenced by them. The enteric nervous system ( ENS) or intrinsic nervous system is one of the main divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and consists of a mesh-like system of neurons that governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract.
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