Neuromodulation for functional upper gastrointestinal diseases

Neuromodulation has recently received a great deal of attention among academic institutions, government funding agents and industries. This mini-review focuses on methods and applications as well as mechanisms of various neuromodulation methods in treating functional diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract. First, the methods of various neuromodulation are introduced, including direct electrical stimulation at various peripheral nerves, such as the vagus nerve, sacral nerve and spinal cord, direct gastrointestinal electrical stimulation and noninvasive/transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Then, literature search was performed on the clinical applications of these neuromodulation methods for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis. Due to nature of the mini-review, the search results are selectively presented based on the expert opinions. Finally, a perspective is provided based on the author's own experience in this field of research.