Cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcer and the hepatoduodenal branch of the vagus nerve.

We investigated the role of the autonomic nervous system in gastric acid secretion, somatostatin concentration and PAS-positive mucus production in Brunner's glands in cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcer. Vagotomized rats were used. No ulcers occurred in the groups with vagotomies of the hepatoduodenal, truncal or gastric branches after cysteamine administration. However, in the hepatoduodenal branch vagotomized group, there was an increase in gastric acid secretion after cysteamine administration. A similar increase was observed in the control group, but the decreases in somatostatin concentration and PAS-positive mucus seen in the control group were not found in the hepatoduodenal vagotomized group. These results suggest that the hepatoduodenal branch of the vagus nerve might play an important role in the ulcerogenic process of cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcer.