Salivary Glands Are Regulated by the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Autonomic, parasympathetic nerve fibers of the facial and glossopharyngeal nerves end on the secretory cells of the salivary gland acini and stimulate the cells through cholinergic receptors.
All phases of salivary activity are stimulated by this mechanism, including electrolyte, water, and enzyme secretion. The anticipation of eating can initiate a parasympathetic response that results in salivary secretion. In Pavlov’s famous experiment, parasympathetic stimulation of the salivary gland was evoked in dogs by the sound of a ringing bell. The dogs had been trained to anticipate eating after hearing the bell. This well-known experiment was one of the first demonstrations that the central nervous system (CNS) could regulate digestive functions. Chewing and stimulation of taste buds, in addition to the anticipation of eating, are afferent stimuli for salivation.Salivary secretory cells also contain β-adrenergic receptors that are activated by sympathetic nerve stimulation or circulating catecholamines. This form of stimulation probably has little association with normal digestive activity but is related to the salivation and drooling seen in carnivores preparing to attack. Among digestive glands, the salivary glands are unique because there is no endocrine regulatory component.
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