Enhanced postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity after moderate-intensity exercise.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the change of postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and its relation with vagal activity after exercise.


METHODS
Nine subjects were studied in two sessions. In the control session, gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded using electrogastrography (EGG) for 30 min in the fasting state and 60 min after a test meal. In the exercise session, after the baseline recording of both the EGG and electrocardiogram (ECG), the subject was put on a cycle ergometer for exercise until reaching 50% of the maximum age-predicted heart rate for 10 min. The test meal was then given and the recording was resumed for 60 more minutes. Spectral analyses were performed on both the EGG and the heart rate variability derived from the ECG.


RESULTS
The postprandial increment of the dominant power (p<0.05) and the percentage of the 2-4 cpm slow waves (p = 0.01) were significantly higher with exercise. The standard deviation of the postprandial dominant frequency was significantly decreased (more stable slow waves) with exercise (p<0.04). While cardiac vagal activity was significantly decreased after the meal, exercise did not significantly affect the postprandial change.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric slow waves become more regular, more stable, and of higher amplitude after exercise, and this enhancement is probably not mediated via the vagal pathway.
Lu
C L
CL
Lynn Institute for Healthcare Research, Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Shidler
N
N
Chen
J D
JD
D004435:Eating; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005080:Exercise Test; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013270:Stomach / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology