title: Effects of vection-induced motion sickness on gastric myoelectric activity and oral-cecal transit time.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vection-induced motion sickness on three cycle per minute gastric myoelectric activity and oral-cecal transit time. Forty-five subjects were exposed to a rotating optokinetic drum while electrogastrograms and subjective reports of symptoms were monitored. Prior to exposure, baseline breath hydrogen levels were established and subjects ingested vanilla pudding containing 10 g of lactulose. Breath hydrogen measurements were obtained before drum rotation and every 10 minutes after rotation, for 3 hr. Based on the severity of motion sickness symptoms reported, subjects were divided into two groups: a group susceptible to, and a group not susceptible to, vection-induced motion sickness. Averaged across subjects, the percentage of three cycle per minute activity decreased from baseline to rotation (3.6%) and from rotation to recovery (3.0%) [F(2/70)=2.43,P<0.1], with the susceptible group showing a greater overall decrease from baseline to recovery (8.9%), than the nonsusceptible group (4.2%) [F(1/35)=11.16,P<0.01]. The susceptible group had longer average oral-cecal transit times (144 min) than the nonsusceptible group (107 min) [t(36)=3.27,P<0.01]. Furthermore, symptom reports were positively correlated with oral-cecal transit times (r = 0.43, P < 0.05). In conclusion, vection-induced motion sickness is accompanied by decreased gastric three cycle per minute activity and prolonged oral-cecal transit times.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Muth
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors