As mentioned above, lack of adequate blood volume is a potent stimulus for ADH secretion and thence water retention.

For a man the flavours of alcoholic drinks, for a dog the infinitely variegated smells of urine are the most potent stimuli for the gregarious impulse.

The oesophageal distention caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux is a potent stimulus of transient upper oesophageal sphincter relaxations in children.

Oral and intragastric infusions of beer were found to be potent stimuli of gastric acid secretion, with a response of over 95% of that produced by pentagastrin.

There he stood, motionless as a bronze statue, knowing that motion and scent are the two most potent stimuli to fear in the lower orders.

Ingested fat and carbohydrate seem to be the most potent stimuli for these two peptides, and fatty acids introduced into the small intestinal lumen elicit an appreciable response.

Despite the lack of statistical significance it seems that contact with food provided the most potent stimulus to inducing motor activity.

In fact, it is rare: pain is a potent stimulus to breath, somnolence always develops first, and pharmacological tolerance to respiratory depression develops quickly.

Since some of these products are potent proinflammatory stimuli it is extremely important for the immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-pathogenic commensals.