American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology
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Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. · May 2017
High-resolution anatomic correlation of cyclic motor patterns in the human colon: Evidence of a rectosigmoid brake.
Colonic cyclic motor patterns (CMPs) have been hypothesized to act as a brake to limit rectal filling. However, the spatiotemporal profile of CMPs, including anatomic origins and distributions, remains unclear. This study characterized colonic CMPs using high-resolution (HR) manometry (72 sensors, 1-cm resolution) and their relationship with proximal antegrade propagating events. ⋯ However, the distal origin and prominence of retrograde CMPs could still act as a mechanism to limit rectal filling and support the theory of a "rectosigmoid brake."NEW & NOTEWORTHY Retrograde cyclic motor patterns (CMPs) are the dominant motor patterns in a healthy prepared human colon. The major sites of initiation are in the rectosigmoid region, with retrograde propagation, supporting the idea of a "rectosigmoid brake." A significant increase in the number of CMPs is seen after a meal. In our study context, the majority of CMPs occurred independent of proximal propagating events, suggesting that CMPs are primarily controlled by external innervation.