Ulcers
An ulcer is a hole in the wall of an organ, and ulcers originating in the stomach or in the organs immediately bordering it are termed peptic ulcers. The ones within the stomach are called ==gastric ulcers==; those a bit higher up than the stomach are ==esophageal==, and those at the border of the stomach and the intestine are ==duodenal== (the most common of peptic ulcers). (Location 1446)
Helicobacter pylori turns out to be able to live in the acidic stomach environment, protecting itself by having a structure that is particularly acid-resistant and by wrapping itself in a coat of protective bicarbonate. And this bacterium probably has a lot to do with 85 to 100 percent of ulcers in Western populations (Location 1469)
duodenal ulceration is more likely to occur in people who are anxious, depressed, or undergoing severe life Stressors (imprisonment, war, natural disasters). An analysis of the entire literature shows that somewhere between 30 and 65 percent of peptic ulcers have psychosocial factors (i.e., stress) involved. (Location 1491)
It builds many layers of stomach wall and coats them with thick, soothing mucus that buffers the acid. In addition, bicarbonate is secreted into the stomach to neutralize the acid. This is a wonderful solution, and you happily go about digestion. (Location 1508)
Along comes a stressful period that lasts months. Your body cuts down on its acid secretion—there are now frequent times when digestion is being inhibited. During this period, your stomach essentially decides to save itself some energy by cutting corners. It cuts back a bit on the constant thickening of the stomach walls, undersecretes mucus and bicarbonate, and pockets the difference. Why not? There isn’t much acid around during this stressful period anyway.
End of stressful period; you decide to celebrate by eating a large chocolate cake inscribed for the occasion, stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, start secreting hydrochloric acid, and…your defenses are down. (Location 1510)
- If your stressor is one that involves a dramatic decrease in blood flow to the gut (for example, following a hemorrhage), it begins to cause little infarcts—small strokes—in your stomach walls, because of lack of oxygen. You develop small lesions of necrotic (dead) tissue, which are the building blocks of ulcers. (Location 1524)
- during periods of chronic stress, when blood flow (and thus oxygen delivery) to the gut decreases, your stomach stops making the scavengers that protect you from the oxygen radicals. (Location 1531)
- Without sufficient scavengers, the oxygen radicals start killing cells in the stomach walls; (Location 1534)
- Insufficient Amounts of Prostaglandins In this scenario, micro-ulcers begin now and then in your gut, as part of the expected wear and tear on the system. Normally your body can repair the damage by secreting a class of chemicals called prostaglandins, thought to aid the healing process by increasing blood flow through the stomach walls. During stress, however, the synthesis of these prostaglandins is inhibited by the actions of Glucocorticoidss. (Location 1542)
⇒ Stress-Response
see also
Stress and Food Consumption
Tags: science medicine biology
Superlink: 091 🏃Body and Medicine, 090 🌱Biology, 080 🥗Ernährung
Source
5 Ulcers The Runs and Hot Fudge Sundaes
Created: 03-09-22 15:56