Sham Feeding Amplifies the Secretory Component of Interdigestive Activity

Sham feeding stimulates gastric secretion and the release of gut hormones, but the effect on motility is less documented. We studied the effect of sham feeding on motility, gastric acid, motilin and PP. In two groups of six volunteers motility was assessed manometrically. In group I, gastric juice was aspirated, in group II no gastric collection was performed. Blood samples were taken every 10 minutes and analysed for’PP and motilin. After one cycle of the migrating motor complex had been recorded a sham feeding (a steak of 150 g) was given by the chew and spit method, and the experiment was further continued for at least 3 hours. In both groups fluctuations of motilin and PP correlated to the motility cycle during the control period. Sham feeding did not interrupt the motor cycle nor the motilin fluctuations, but PP rose significantly. In group I acid output in the 30 min period preceding an activity front (AF) was higher than in the following 30 min period (0.64 vs. 0.28 mEq/30 min, p