Pathophysiological roles of ectopic tachygastria induced with antral electrical stimulation

AIM: To investigate the pathophysiological roles of tachygastria using antral electrical stimulation (AES). METHODS: The study was performed on 13 healthy female hound-type dogs chronically implanted with three pairs of serosal electrodes and a gastric cannula (n = 7). In the first experiment (n = 7), the antral motility was measured for three 30-min periods right after a solid meal. AES was performed during the second 30-min period at a tachygastric frequency. In the second experiment (n = 6), gastric slow waves and animal behavior were monitored in the fasting state at baseline and with various parameters of AES. RESULTS: (1) AES at tachygastric frequencies (7-14 cpm) significantly reduced the percentage of normal 4- to 6-cpm slow waves and induced tachygastria; (2) AES significantly and substantially inhibited the antral motility in the fed state; (3) AES in the fasting state energy dependently induced symptoms, and the symptom score was linearly correlated with the stimulation frequency, and (4) there was a significant negative correlation between percentage of tachygastria and index of antral motility. CONCLUSIONS: AES induces tachygastria and inhibits the antral motility. Tachygastria is correlated with antral motility.