Faculty Collaboration Database

Identification and characterization of cerebral cortical response to esophageal mucosal acid exposure and distention. Gastroenterology 1998 Dec;115(6):1353-62

Date

12/03/1998

Pubmed ID

9834262

DOI

10.1016/s0016-5085(98)70013-7

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0031787619 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   97 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Esophageal acid exposure is a common occurrence in healthy individuals and patients with esophagitis. Clinically, perception of this exposure ranges from no perception to severe heartburn and chest pain. Cerebral cortical response to esophageal mucosal contact to acid has not been systematically studied. The aim of this study was to elucidate cerebral cortical response to esophageal acid exposure in normal individuals by functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI).

METHODS: We studied 10 normal healthy volunteers. Cortical FMRI response to 10 minutes of intraesophageal perfusion of 0.1N HCl (1 mL/min) was determined, and the results were compared with those of saline infusion and balloon distention.

RESULTS: Acid perfusion did not induce heartburn or chest pain but increased FMRI signal intensity by 6.7% +/- 2.0% over the preperfusion values. No increase was detected for saline infusion. FMRI signal intensity to balloon distention was similar to that of acid perfusion. Activation latency, activation to peak, and the deactivation periods for response to acid perfusion were significantly longer than those of balloon distention (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Contact of esophageal mucosa with acid, before inducing heartburn, evokes a cerebral cortical response detectable by FMRI. Temporal characteristics of this response are significantly different from those induced by esophageal balloon distention.

Author List

Kern MK, Birn RM, Jaradeh S, Jesmanowicz A, Cox RW, Hyde JS, Shaker R

Authors

Mark K. Kern Research Scientist II in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Reza Shaker MD Assoc Provost, Sr Assoc Dean, Ctr Dir, Chief, Prof in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Catheterization
Cerebral Cortex
Esophagus
Female
Gastric Acid
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Mucous Membrane