Visceral perception in functional gastro-intestinal disorders: disease marker or epiphenomenon?
The pathophysiology of functional gastro-intestinal disorders remains unclear. A relatively new approach to these disorders has been the study of visceral sensory perception. A decreased pain threshold to intraluminal balloon distension has been demonstrated in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and non-cardiac chest pain. This altered visceral sensitivity does not appear to extend to somatic sensation; patients have generally had normal sensory thresholds to various stimuli applied to the skin. It is uncertain whether altered gut sensation represents a primary event in the pathogenesis of disease or simply a disease marker. In this review, we examine the evidence of altered visceral sensation and discuss the implications for patient management and drug therapy.
Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW, Australia.
W H
WH
Hu
N J
NJ
Talley
D002637:Chest Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D017833:Visceral Afferents / Q000503:physiopathology