The cerebral cortex facilitation of vicerosensation to esophageal acid exposure in normal individuals / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To elucidate cerebral cortical response to esophageal acid exposure in normal individuals by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the characteristics of activity. Methods Fifteen volunteers were received intraesophageal perfusion with either 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid (0.1 mmol/L HC1) solutions. The modified block-design model of fMRI scanning was performed simultaneously. All of 32 minutes were needed for resting (A, 8 minutes), 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion (B,8 minutes), acid perfusion (C,8 minutes) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D,8 minutes). Each chunk was consisted of 160 scans and every scan contained 3 seconds. Six hundred and forty scans were collected in all. The clinical response to esophageal acid exposure was observed and the changes in the cerebral regions was statistically analyzed. Results After perfusion of 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid, 10 out of 15 volunteers had chemosensitive complaints, such as pain in pars laryngen pharyngis, heartburn and chest complaint. The initial active domains involved deutocerebrum, anterior part of callosal gyrus, left side of insula, two sides of amygdale and subiculum hippocampi, two outers of forehead cortex. The provoked regions of acid perfusion (C-A) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D-A) were as same as that of the activated domains by initial perfusion of 0.9% sodium chloride (B-A). The intensity and amplitude of most provoked regions increased gradually(D-A> B-A, P< 0.01). Conclusions The two different stimulations of saline and acid provoke similar cerebral regions that may act in the regulation of esophageal sensitivity. There are the evidences of the central mechanism of esophageal visceral hypersensitivity by acid perfusion.