Abstract
Fasting gastrointestinal motility in the human is characterized by the regular cycling activity of the migrating motor complex (MMC). Our purpose was to define the variability of the MMC within and between a group of six healthy subjects studied for 6–9 hr over six separate days with a perfused catheter system. A total of 88 phase III events was observed during 255 hr of recording in this group. The mean MMC cycling time varied significantly between subjects (range 113–230 min,P<0.001), and variation within subjects also was wide (sd range 58–70 min). Seventy-one percent of phase III events commenced in the gastric antrum, 18% in the proximal duodenum, 10% in the distal duodenum, and 1% in the proximal jejunum. For each subject, the velocity of propagation of phase III decreased significantly (P<0.001), and phase III duration increased significantly (P<0.001), with increasing distance from the os. In the antrum, phase I was predominant, and significant (P<0.006) variation between subjects was noted for percentage of MMC cycle occupied by phase I (overall mean ±sd 55±23%). Phase II was predominant in both duodenum and jejunum (mean range 70–80%), and no significant variation was noted between subjects for percentage of MMC occupied by phase II. We conclude that human MMC activity varies widely between individuals and within the same individual when studied on separate days.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Szurszewski JH: A migrating electric complex of the canine small intestine. Am J Physiol 217:1757–1763, 1969
Grivel M-L, Ruckebusch Y: The propagation of segmental contractions along the small intestine. J Physiol 227:611–625, 1972
Ruckebusch Y, Bueno L: The effect of weaning on the motility of the small intestine in the calf. Br J Nutr 30:441–499, 1973
Ruckebusch Y, Fioramonti J: Electrical spiking activity and propulsion in small intestine in fed and fasted rats. Gastroenterology 68:1500–1508, 1975
Ruckebusch Y, Pairet M, Becht JL: Origin and characteristics of migrating myoelectric complex in rabbits. Dig Dis Sci 30:742–748, 1985
Galligan JJ, Costa M, Furness JB: Gastrointestinal myoelectric activity in conscious guinea pigs. Am J Physiol 249:692–699, 1985
Vantrappen G, Janssens J, Hellemans J, Ghoos Y: The interdigestive motor complex of normal subjects and patients with bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. J Clin Invest 59:1158–1166, 1977
Fleckenstein P: Migrating electric spike activity in the fasting human small intestine. Am J Dig Dis 23:769–775, 1978
Code CF, Marlett JA: The interdigestive myoelectric complex of the stomach and small bowel of dogs. J Physiol 246:289–309, 1975
Dent J, Dodds WJ, Sekiguchi T, Hogan WJ, Arndorfer RC: Interdigestive phasic contractions of the human lower esophageal sphincter. Gastroenterology 84:453–460, 1983
Kerlin P, Phillips SF: Variability of motility of the ileum and jejunum in healthy man. Gastroenterology 82:694–700, 1982
Kellow JE, Borody TJ, Phillips SF, Tucker RL, Haddad AC: Human interdigestive motility: Variations in patterns from esophagus to colon. Gastroenterology 91:386–395, 1986
Sarna SK, Condon RE, Cowles V: Enteric mechanisms of initiation of migrating myoelectric complexes in dogs. Gastroenterology 84:814–822, 1983
Rees WDW, Leigh RJ, Christofides ND, Bloom SR, Turnberg LA: Interdigestive motor activity in patients with systemic sclerosis. Gastroenterology 83:575–580, 1982
Thompson DG, Ritchie HD, Wingate DL: Patterns of small intestinal motility in duodenal ulcer patients before and after vagotomy. Gut 23:517–523, 1982
Nowak TV, Anuras S, Brown BP, Ionasescu V, Green JB: Small intestinal motility in myotonic dystrophy patients. Gastroenterology 86:908–913, 1984
Kellow JE, Phillips SF: Altered small bowel motility in irritable bowel syndrome is correlated with symptoms. Gastroenterology 92:1885–1892, 1987
Malagelada J-R, Stanghellini V: Manometric evaluation of functional upper gut symptoms. Gastroenterology 88:1223–1231, 1985
Miranda M, Valenzuela JE, Defilippi C: Abnormalities of interdigestive motility complex and increased duodenogastric reflux in gastric ulcer patients. Dig Dis Sci 30:16–21, 1985
Dooley CP, El Newihi HM, Zeidler A, Valenzuela JE: Abnormalities of migrating motor complex in diabetics with autonomic neuropathy and diarrhea. Scand J Gastroenterol 23:217–223, 1988
Thompson DG, Wingate DL, Archer L, Benson MJ, Green WJ, Hardy RJ: Normal patterns of human upper small bowel motor activity recorded by prolonged radiotelemetry. Gut 212:500–506, 1980
Kumar D, Wingate D, Ruckebusch Y: Circadian variation in the propagation velocity of the migrating motor complex. Gastroenterology 91:926–930, 1986
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dooley, C.P., Di Lorenzo, C. & Valenzuela, J.E. Variability of migrating motor complex in humans. Digest Dis Sci 37, 723–728 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296429
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296429