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In dogs after feeding increased plasma insulin concentration is positively related in converting the "fasted" pattern of electrical activity into the "fed" pattern. In sheep, the release of insulin induced by a perfusion of volatile fatty acids is accompanied by similar changes in the pattern of electrical activity. The results indicate that insulin release induced by nutrients plays a major role in the control of intestinal motility in both species.

Relationships between the basic motor patterns of the small bowel, i.e. the occurrence at hourly intervals of myoelectric complexes and absorption of glucose were studied in vivo on 2-m length ovine jejunum isolated loops by means of the "perfusion marker" technique. For a mean flow rate of about 480 ml/h, the net glucose movement during queiscence was decrease at the occurrence of the phase of irregular spiking activity (ISA) and increased during the phase of regular spiking activity (RSA) of the myoelectric complex. When the flow rate was nearly halved (225 ml/h), the net absorption of glucose was decreased at the occurrence of the phases of either ISA or RSA of the complexes.