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Updated: Feb 4, 2026
Automated Multimodal Stimulation and Simultaneous Neuronal Recording from Multiple Small Organisms
Published on: March 3, 2023
The optimal order of stimulation modalities and reproducibility of the multimodal esophageal stimulation paradigm
Charlotte Broers1, Veerle Boecxstaens1,2, Eveline Deloose1
1Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing (CHROMETA), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Background:
Esophageal hypersensitivity can be triggered by different stimuli. We use a multimodal stimulation model to study esophageal sensitivity to four sensory modalities: thermal, mechanical, electrical, and chemical stimulation. The optimal order of these stimulations needs further validation.
Methods:
Esophageal sensitivity to thermal (heated saline solution), mechanical (balloon distention), electrical (block pulses with electrodes), and chemical stimulation (acid solution, 0.1 N HCl) was assessed in 10 subjects. In one session, thermal stimulation was performed first, followed by mechanical stimulation ("original protocol"). In a second session, mechanical stimulation was performed first, followed by temperature stimulation ("reversed protocol"). Besides, the impact of balloon distention speed (25 mL/min vs 50 mL/min) during mechanical stimulation was evaluated. Secondly, in order to establish reproducibility, independent control sessions of multimodal stimulations in 15 healthy volunteers were used retrospectively.
Key Results:
A significant difference in pain perception threshold for thermal stimulation was found between the original and reversed protocol (P = 0.046), indicating that mechanical stimulation can sensitize the esophagus to thermal stimulation. Balloon distention rate had no impact on sensitivity thresholds for mechanical stimulation. Concerning the reproducibility, there were no differences for thermal, mechanical, electrical, and chemical stimulation in any of the control sessions.
Conclusions:
The optimal order of the multimodal stimulation protocol was to start with the thermal stimulation, followed by mechanical, electrical, and chemical stimulation. The optimal balloon distention rate was 25 mL/min. Multimodal esophageal stimulation generates reproducible perception scores in health and therefore provides a reliable method to assess esophageal sensitivity changes after interventions that may alter esophageal sensitivity.
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