Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 20, 2025
08:15
Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor GIMM
Published on: December 1, 2010
31.1K
New Developments in Prokinetic Therapy for Gastric Motility Disorders
Michael Camilleri1, Jessica Atieh1
1Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiological Research (CENTER), Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
|September 10, 2021
Summary
This review explores pharmacological treatments for gastroparesis, focusing on enhancing gastrointestinal motility. It discusses current prokinetic agents and novel therapeutic targets for improved gastric emptying and symptom relief.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Gastroparesis management involves dietary changes and prokinetic agents to improve gastric emptying.
- Current treatments like metoclopramide have limitations due to side effects and duration of use.
- Other agents like domperidone and macrolides have specific usage guidelines and limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current and emerging pharmacological approaches for gastroparesis.
- To highlight agents that enhance gastrointestinal muscular contractions and improve gastric emptying.
- To discuss novel therapeutic targets for managing gastroparesis symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of pharmacological agents for gastroparesis.
- Analysis of mechanisms of action for prokinetic drugs.
- Discussion of novel drug targets and future therapeutic strategies.
Main Results:
- Metoclopramide is approved but has risks limiting its use.
- Domperidone and macrolides are used with specific considerations.
- Emerging agents target diverse gastric motor functions and novel pathways.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacological interventions are crucial for improving gastric emptying in gastroparesis.
- Newer agents targeting various gastric functions and pathways show promise.
- Further research into novel targets like the pylorus and neurogenesis is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists
754
Prokinetic agents are specialized medications that stimulate gastrointestinal (GI) motility, promoting food movement through the GI tract. Dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a significant role in this process, reducing GI motility and indirectly controlling the speed of digestion. Dopamine receptor antagonists, such as metoclopramide and domperidone, offer a unique advantage as prokinetic agents. By blocking the dopamine receptors, these drugs increase GI motility, improving food...
754
01:23Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
505
Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
505
01:20Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
670
Gastrointestinal or GI motility disorders are characterized by irregular gastrointestinal tract movements, disrupting food transit from the mouth to the anus. They are caused by damage or dysfunction in gut muscles or nerves. These disorders can cause symptoms such as severe constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and swallowing difficulties. Disorders can affect any segment of the GI tract and range widely in severity, from common conditions like GERD to life-threatening conditions like...
670
01:16Gastric Motility
1.5K
Gastric motility is the coordinated contraction and relaxation of stomach muscles that convert ingested food into chyme, a semi-liquid substance ready for further digestion in the intestines. The process begins with the vagus nerve inducing the relaxation of the smooth muscles in the fundus and body of the stomach, allowing these regions to expand and accommodate up to approximately 1.5 liters of food and liquid.
Peristaltic Waves and Chyme Formation
Upon food entry, the stomach initiates...
Peristaltic Waves and Chyme Formation
Upon food entry, the stomach initiates...
1.5K
01:28Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists
302
Neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors are distributed across the GI tract, vagal afferents, and key CNS regions including the central vomiting center and chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) Chemotherapy agents stimulate enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to release large amounts of substance P (SP). SP is a neuropeptide released by specific sensory nerves in response to many different stressors, including those in the GI mucosa affected by chemotherapy. SP binds and activates...
302
01:20Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Other Laxatives
589
Laxatives are primarily used to alleviate constipation, a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stools. They work by various mechanisms to increase the volume or frequency of bowel movements. The primary modes of action of laxatives include increasing stool bulk, softening the stool, stimulating intestinal motility, and osmotically drawing water into the intestines.
Osmotic or saline laxatives, like magnesium hydroxide or milk of...
Osmotic or saline laxatives, like magnesium hydroxide or milk of...
589