Effects of rest, stress, and food on myoelectric spiking activity of left and sigmoid colon in humans

Abstract

The great variability which is known to affect colonic motility may partly be the result of changes in physiological conditions. In order to test this hypothesis, 40 subjects were sequentially put in conditions of vigilance, rest, stress, and feeding while colonic motility was monitored. The myoelectric spiking activity of the left colon was recorded with a 50-cm-long silastic tube equipped with four bipolar ring electrodes (located 10 cm apart) introduced into the left colon by flexible sigmoidoscopy. Tracings were performed while the subjects were kept awake (by conversation) for 1 hr, put at rest (quiet) for another 1 hr, submitted to a stress (by alternatively immersing and removing one hand from 2-4 degrees C cold water) for 20 min, and finally recorded for 2 hr after a 800-kcal meal. In 18 other subjects, the sequences of vigilance and rest were randomized. The results showed that colonic spiking activity was made of sporadic bursts that are known to be associated with intraluminal propulsion and of stationary bursts that probably play no role in colonic peristalsis. The duration of sporadic spiking activity was respectively 13.6 +/- 1.2 min/hr (mean +/- SEM) during the period of vigilance, 5.4 +/- 0.6 min/hr during the period of rest (P less than 0.001), 14.3 +/- 1.0 min/hr during the period of stress (NS), and 16.8 +/- 1.2 min/hr after a meal (P less than 0.05). The duration of stationary spiking activity did not change significantly throughout the four periods, respectively, 6.6 +/- 4.9, 4.4 +/- 3.7 (NS), 5.2 +/- 3.9 (NS), and 3.3 +/- 2.8 min/hr (NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sennosides and Human Colonic Motility

“…The stimulation of peristalsis up to the rectosigmoid junction by oral sennosides, obtained as a preliminary result, seems to be in agreement with observations after intra colonic administration [11] and for most of the other stimulant laxatives [3][4][5]8], It cor responds probably to contractions aborally propagated over the whole colon, the propul sive mass movements appearing unfrequently [17], first described in fluorographic terms in 1909 by Holzknecht [22], Neverthe less, Ritchie [7] observed with oxyphenisatin an interruption of propagation waves be tween 24 to 40 cm from the anal verge. Moreover, only the motility index was stim ulated by oxyphenisatin infusion in the rec tum [2,11], as in one data on rectosigmoid with bisacodyl [5].…”

“…These findings have been recently confirmed at the sigmoid level (15-25 cm from anal verge) using ma nometry [4] or electromyography [5]. The electromyographic studies revealed a de crease in tonic activity of the colon wall.…”

“…Moreover, only the motility index was stim ulated by oxyphenisatin infusion in the rec tum [2,11], as in one data on rectosigmoid with bisacodyl [5]. Intracolonic perfusion and short recording time might increase the inaccuracies and attribute to this disparity.…”

Effect of 4-(5-Chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)-quinolin-2(1H)-one (BMS-223131), a Novel Opener of Large Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+(Maxi-K) Channels on Normal and Stress-Aggravated Colonic Motility and Visceral Nociception

“…Stress susceptibility appears to be especially marked among IBS patients when compared with healthy cohorts or patients suffering from other lower bowel disorders (Kumar and Wingate, 1985). Even among the healthy, acute psychological or physical stress evokes myoelectrical spiking, strong propulsive and nonpropulsive contractions, and pain (Almy and Tulin, 1947;Schang et al, 1988). In rodents, restraint stress stimulates colonic myoelectrical spiking (Gue et al, 1991), accelerates transit (Williams et al, 1987), disrupts the mucosal barrier (Saunders et al, 2002), and increases mucous secretion (Castagliuolo et al, 1998), outcomes that are mediated in part by activation of myenteric neurons and the release of inflammatory mediators (Groot et al, 2000;Soderholm and Perdue, 2001).…”

Psychosocial Background and Intervention in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…This was confirmed by some [23, 24], but denied by others [25, 26]. Whereas these data mainly applied to normal subjects, others have explored the difference between IBS patients and normal controls.…”