Sham feeding disrupts phase III of the duodenal migrating motor complex in humans

The role of the vagus nerve in the control of the intestinal migrating motor complex (MMC) is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of physiological vagal stimulation with sham feeding on phase III of the MMC. Antroduodenal motility was recorded in six healthy volunteers. The first phase III was used as a control, and sham feeding was performed during the second phase III. The MMC was disrupted within 1.5 +/- 0.4 min of sham feeding and its duration was shorter than the control phase III. Phase III propagation was inhibited in all subjects, most of them exhibiting no propagation beyond the third duodenal recording site. During sham feeding, the antrum exhibited transient phasic contractions in five out of six subjects. The duodenal motility index recorded for up to 30 min after the onset of the sham feeding was unchanged in five out of six subjects. We conclude that sham feeding consistently interrupted phase III of the duodenal MMC and induced antral contractions, but failed to provoke significant motor events in the duodenum.