Are muscarinic receptors involved in the effect of serotonin on gastrointestinal electrical activity in the conscious piglet?

In conscious piglets provided chronically with electrodes in the wall of the antrum pylori, duodenum, jejunum and ileum, the effect of intravenous infusion of 5-HT, 4 micrograms/kg/min for 2 h, with and without pre-treatment with atropine, 0.5 mg/kg, on gastrointestinal myoelectrical activity was studied. In the antrum, fast oscillations were partially inhibited by 5-HT and nearly completely blocked by the atropine/5-HT combination and by atropine alone. In the small intestine 5-HT induced a decrease in MMC interval, an increase in phase III activity in duodenum and jejunum and an acceleration of propagation velocity as measured for the jejunum. These effects were not influenced by atropine. Following atropine, phase II activity in the jejunum was significantly inhibited by 5-HT. The ileum was rather insensitive to 5-HT. It is concluded that the inhibitory effect of 5-HT on antral electrical activity is enhanced by atropine, and that 5-HT has a stimulatory effect on small intestinal activity which is not dependent on a muscarinic action.