Pyloric electrical stimulation reduces food intake by inhibiting gastric motility in dogs.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The pylorus plays an important role in regulating gastric emptying. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of pyloric electrical stimulation (PES) for obesity in dogs.

METHODS

The study was composed of 3 separate experiments. The first experiment was designed to study the effects of PES with various parameters on gastric emptying and gastric slow waves in 5 sessions. The second experiment was used to test the effects of PES on antral contractions. The acute effect of PES on food intake was studied in the third experiment.

RESULTS

(1) Pyloric myoelectrical recording showed dual frequencies. The lower frequency was identical to the frequency of the gastric slow waves, and the higher frequency was similar to that of the intestinal slow waves. (2) Gastric emptying was significantly delayed with PES, and the delay in gastric emptying was significantly and negatively correlated with stimulation energy ( r = -.673; P < .001). (3) PES significantly impaired the regularity and coupling of the intrinsic gastric myoelectrical activity in an energy-dependent manner. The delayed gastric emptying was significantly correlated with the impairment of the coupling of gastric myoelectrical activity ( r = .441; P < .02). (4) Antral contractions on the fed state were significantly and substantially inhibited with PES. (5) Acute PES significantly reduced food intake.

CONCLUSIONS

PES reduces food intake that may be attributed to its inhibitory effects on intrinsic gastric myoelectrical activity, antral contractions, and gastric emptying.