Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders

Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders

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...

Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS

Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a subtype of IBS characterized primarily by frequent, loose, or watery stools, abdominal pain, and abdominal discomfort. Therapeutic approaches to managing IBS-D include dietary changes, stress management techniques, and pharmaceutical interventions.
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...

Assessment of the Rectum and Anus

Assessment of the Rectum and Anus

Evaluating the rectum and anus plays a crucial role in conducting a thorough physical examination of the gastrointestinal system. Although it may be uncomfortable and often embarrassing for the patient, it holds immense diagnostic value, particularly in detecting gastrointestinal diseases and abnormalities. This guide will explain how to perform this assessment using inspection and palpation methods.
Rectal Inspection
Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...

Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction

Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction

Chronic bowel diseases are a group of long-term conditions affecting the digestive tract, characterized by inflammation and damage to the gut lining. These conditions primarily include irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...

Feces Formation and Defecation

Feces Formation and Defecation

After spending 3 to 10 hours in the large intestine, chyme loses a lot of water and becomes feces, the final product of digestion. Feces consist of undigested dietary fiber such as cellulose, mucus, sloughed-off epithelial cells, and microbes. The descending and sigmoid colon stores feces and uses haustral contractions to dry it out but retains enough water to give it a semi-solid texture.
The mass peristalsis then pushes the feces into the rectum, which stretches the rectal walls to activate...

Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum

Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum

The muscles of the pelvic floor and perineum are crucial for supporting the pelvic organs, controlling continence, and aiding in sexual function, childbirth, and core stability. They are typically divided into the superficial perineal layer and the deep pelvic floor layer.
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Rome V Criteria for Anorectal Disorders: The Good and the Useful.

Gastroenterology·2026

Same author

Medically Refractory Constipation With Colonic Hypercompliance: Comparison With Megacolon and Healthy Colon.

Neurogastroenterology and motility·2026

Same author

Anorectal Disorders.

Gastroenterology·2026

Same author

Long-term cellular and humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations in patients with solid malignancies undergoing chemotherapy.

Frontiers in immunology·2026

Same author

AGA Clinical Practice Update on Evaluation and Management of Refractory Constipation: Expert Review.

Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association·2026

Same author

Reply.

Gastroenterology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Published on: April 17, 2019

Abdomino-anal Dyscoordination in Defecatory Disorders.

Sushmitha Grama Srinivasan¹, Anjani Muthyala¹, Mayank Sharma¹

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota.

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology : the Official Clinical Practice Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association

|December 13, 2021

Summary

Abdominal muscle coordination is altered in women with defecatory disorders (DDs), showing dyscoordination during evacuation and muscle activation. These findings highlight potential issues in abdominal muscle function contributing to constipation and defecation difficulties.

Keywords:

Biofeedback Therapy Constipation Dyssynergia Manometry

More Related Videos

Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP Quantification System

Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP Quantification System

Published on: September 20, 2018

Detrusor Underactivity Model in Rats by Conus Medullaris Transection

Detrusor Underactivity Model in Rats by Conus Medullaris Transection

Published on: August 28, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Published on: April 17, 2019

Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP Quantification System

Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP Quantification System

Published on: September 20, 2018

Detrusor Underactivity Model in Rats by Conus Medullaris Transection

Detrusor Underactivity Model in Rats by Conus Medullaris Transection

Published on: August 28, 2020

Area of Science:

Gastroenterology
Pelvic Floor Function
Physiology

Background:

The role of abdominal muscles in normal defecation and defecatory disorders (DDs) remains largely unknown.
Investigating these muscles is crucial for understanding defecation mechanisms and dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the contribution of abdominal muscles to normal defecation.
To identify disturbances in abdominal muscle function associated with defecatory disorders.

Main Methods:

Simultaneous measurement of anorectal pressures (manometry) and abdominal muscle thickness (ultrasound) in healthy women and women with DD.
Assessment during various maneuvers including hollowing, squeeze, evacuation, and Valsalva maneuver.
Principal component analysis (PC) to correlate muscle activity and pressures with defecatory function.

Main Results:

Women with DD exhibited altered rectal and anal pressure responses during evacuation and different abdominal muscle activation patterns during muscle squeeze.
Specific correlations between transversus abdominis muscle thickness changes and defecation maneuvers were observed in DD.
A principal component (PC3) derived from anorectal pressures and muscle thicknesses during evacuation was significantly associated with prolonged rectal balloon expulsion time (BET), a marker for DD.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest three potential disturbances in DD: aberrant abdominal muscle activation, general abdominal muscle dyscoordination, and abdomino-anal dyscoordination.
These dysfunctions may contribute to the pathophysiology of defecatory disorders.
Further research into these coordination issues could inform therapeutic strategies for constipation and DDs.