OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in postprandial electrogastrography (EGG) from the neurohormonal mechanisms. METHODS: We measured EGG indices [frequency amplitude of normal 3-cpm (EGG-3 cpm)], high frequency amplitude of heart rate variability which has reflected cardiac parasympathetic tone, and several serum immunoreactive (ir)-hormone levels in 12 fasted male volunteers (mean age 25.3 yr). RESULTS: Immediately after the liquid food intake (250 kcal), a transient decrease in EGG-3 cpm frequency (from 0.045 +/- 0.001 Hz to 0.040 +/- 0.001 Hz; p < 0.05) accompanied by an increase in high frequency amplitude (from 31.05 +/- 3.45 ms to 39.10 +/- 4.08 ms; p < 0.05), and a serum immunoreactive gastrin level increase (from 38.72 +/- 4.92 pmol/L to 54.00 +/- 10.45 pmol/L; p < 0.05) and an immunoreactive somatostatin level decrease (from 15.00 +/- 0.43 pmol/L to 13.70 +/- 0.46 pmol/L; p < 0.01) were observed, suggesting vagal excitement. EGG-3 cpm amplitude and serum immunoreactive human pancreatic polypeptide (hPP) levels significantly increased soon after ingestion, and these changes lasted for 30 min. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between changes in EGG-3 cpm amplitude and those in serum immunoreactive hPP levels during the postprandial periods (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the reports that a cholinergic, nonvagal pathway is of major importance in food-stimulated hPP release, the present results suggest that postprandial changes in EGG-3 cpm frequency and amplitude might be a good tool for evaluating not only vagal but also nonvagal cholinergic activity in the human gut.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in postprandial electrogastrography (EGG) from the neurohormonal mechanisms. METHODS: We measured EGG indices [frequency amplitude of normal 3-cpm (EGG-3 cpm)], high frequency amplitude of heart rate variability which has reflected cardiac parasympathetic tone, and several serum immunoreactive (ir)-hormone levels in 12 fasted male volunteers (mean age 25.3 yr). RESULTS: Immediately after the liquid food intake (250 kcal), a transient decrease in EGG-3 cpm frequency (from 0.045 +/- 0.001 Hz to 0.040 +/- 0.001 Hz; p < 0.05) accompanied by an increase in high frequency amplitude (from 31.05 +/- 3.45 ms to 39.10 +/- 4.08 ms; p < 0.05), and a serum immunoreactive gastrin level increase (from 38.72 +/- 4.92 pmol/L to 54.00 +/- 10.45 pmol/L; p < 0.05) and an immunoreactive somatostatin level decrease (from 15.00 +/- 0.43 pmol/L to 13.70 +/- 0.46 pmol/L; p < 0.01) were observed, suggesting vagal excitement. EGG-3 cpm amplitude and serum immunoreactive humanpancreatic polypeptide (hPP) levels significantly increased soon after ingestion, and these changes lasted for 30 min. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between changes in EGG-3 cpm amplitude and those in serum immunoreactive hPP levels during the postprandial periods (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the reports that a cholinergic, nonvagal pathway is of major importance in food-stimulated hPP release, the present results suggest that postprandial changes in EGG-3 cpm frequency and amplitude might be a good tool for evaluating not only vagal but also nonvagal cholinergic activity in the human gut.