Chronic experiments on rabbits showed that stress modeled by immobilization in the supine position induced different motor reactions in the gastroduodenal and ileocecal zones. Stress inhibited contractile activity in the stomach antrum, distal ileum, ileocecal valve area, and proximal colon and stimulated it in the duodenum. In the pyloric portion of the stomach both the inhibitory and potentiating effects of stress were observed.

Psychogenic stress in rabbits induced by fixation of the animal to a frame was accompanied by an increase in contractile activity of the initial portion of the distal colon, which was abolished by blockade of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Increased contractile activity of the colon was due to centrogenic stimulation of preganglionic neurons of the parasympathetic nervous system followed by the involvement of the effector cholinergic neurons of the enteric nervous system into excitation.

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Inhibition of the contractile activity of the stomach induced by psychogenic stress persisted after blockade of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors and α2 and β1/β2-adrenergic receptors. Stress-induced increase in contractile activity in the proximal part of the duodenum persisted during blockade of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors, β1/β2-adrenergic receptors. At the same time, blockade of the above cholinergic and adrenergic receptors eliminated the stress-induced increase in contractive activity in the distal part of the duodenum.