Mechanism of gastric emptying through the pyloric sphincter: a human study.

Abstract

Pyloric sphincter relaxation upon antral distension implies a reflex relationship the authors call the "antro-sphincteric inhibitory reflex". Pyloric sphincter distension effected antral contraction, which is suggested to be a reflex in nature and which they term the "sphinctero-antral excitatory reflex". It is postulated that these two reflexes act to churn and transport gastric contents to the duodenum.