Intestinal mucosal mast cells and vagal nerve stimulation.

Vagal nerve stimulation, because of its involvement in the short- and long-term regulation of food intake, might become a useful tool in the treatment of obesity. However, both peripheral and central mechanisms of its action are still poorly understood. There is a strong evidence that intestinal mucosal mast cells play a general transduction role between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system.