Clinical study
Experimental studies on the irritable colon

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Abstract

When under stress induced by experimental stimuli, both healthy persons and patients with irritable colon may show disturbances in motility and engorgement of the sigmoid colon coincident with periods of emotional tension. Two patterns of altered sigmoid motility have been recognized: the one an increase in tone and/or wave-like contractions associated with overt moods of hostility and aggression; the other a decrease in tone and/or contractions associated with overt behavior symbolizing hopelessness and defeat. A possible relationship of these patterns to the mechanisms of spastic constipation and functional diarrhea is discussed.

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Supported in part by generous gifts by Minnie H. Butt, Marie and John Zimmermann and John L. Given.

1

From the Department of Medicine, The New York Hospital and Cornell University Medical College, New York, N. Y.

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