Figure 3.

Summary diagram showed that the melanocortinergic pathway between the sympathetic and parasympathetic circuitry involved in gastric function. Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMV) and intermediolateral column of spinal cord are all participated in the modulation of the gastric activities. It is speculated that IML sympathetic preganglionic neurons control gastric activity by the melanocortinergic-sympathetic signals whereas DMV parasympathetic preganglionic neurons control gastric activity by the melanocortinergic-parasympathetic signals. IML, intermediolateral column; MC4R, the melanocortin-4 receptor; PRV-614, pseudorabies virus-614. Some drawings were taken from HB Xiang (Brain 2013) and L Banihashemi (Neuroscience 2010).