Functions of the gastrointestinal tract are controlled
through an extensive innervation, which incorporates
the enteric nervous system and an extensive gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) endocrine system. The enteric
nervous system, the largest network of neurons outside
the central nervous system, contains about 500 million
neurons and billions of connections in humans (Furness, 2006). It controls gastrointestinal movements,