ata ▁as ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁neur ons ▁from ▁the ▁vent ral ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁brain ▁stem . ▁The ▁v ag us ▁n erve ▁then ▁car ries ▁the ▁ax ons ▁to ▁their ▁destination ▁in ▁the ▁g astro int est inal ▁tract . ▁ ▁They ▁contain ▁Dog iel ▁cells . ▁ ▁Function ▁The ▁my enter ic ▁p lex us ▁functions ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁enter ic ▁nerv ous ▁system ▁( dig est ive ▁system ). ▁The ▁enter ic ▁nerv ous ▁system ▁can ▁and ▁does ▁function ▁autonom ously , ▁but ▁normal ▁dig est ive ▁function ▁requires ▁communication ▁links ▁between ▁this ▁intr insic ▁system ▁and ▁the ▁central ▁nerv ous ▁system . ▁The ▁E NS ▁contains ▁sens ory ▁re cept ors , ▁primary ▁af fer ent ▁neur ons , ▁inter neur ons , ▁and ▁motor ▁neur ons . ▁The ▁events ▁that ▁are ▁controlled , ▁at ▁least ▁in ▁part , ▁by ▁the ▁E NS ▁are ▁multiple ▁and ▁include ▁motor ▁activity , ▁secret ion , ▁absor ption , ▁blood ▁flow , ▁and ▁interaction ▁with ▁other ▁org ans ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁gall bl ad der ▁or ▁pan cre as . ▁These ▁links ▁take ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁par as ym path etic ▁and ▁sympath etic ▁fib ers ▁that ▁connect ▁either ▁the ▁central ▁and ▁enter ic ▁nerv ous ▁systems ▁or ▁connect ▁the ▁central ▁nerv ous ▁system ▁directly ▁with ▁the ▁dig est ive ▁tract . ▁Through ▁these ▁cross ▁connections , ▁the ▁gut ▁can ▁provide ▁sens ory ▁information ▁to ▁the ▁C NS , ▁and ▁the ▁C NS ▁can ▁affect ▁g astro int est inal