Patterns of canine gastric electrical activity.

KELLY, KEITH A., CHARLES F. CODE, AND LILA R. ELVEBACK. Patterns uf canine gastric electrical activity. Am. J. Physiol. 2 17C2) : 46 l-470. 1969.~Eight electrodes were implanted serially from the fundus to the pylorus on the gastric wall of 12 dogs. After recovery, electrical activity was recorded during fasting and after gastric-balloon distention and gastric instillation of water and cottonseed oil, and correlated with intraluminal pressure and cinefluoroscopic observations. In fasting animals a regular, triphasic fluctuation in electrical potential, the pacesetter potential (PP), was detected by an orad corporal electrode and by all others caudad to it. Its amplitude was greater in the antrum than in the corpus, but its frequency (5.3 cycles/min) was the same in the two sites. Its velocity increased with caudad propagation. Action potentials (AP), indicating contractions, were superimposed on 26% of the fasting antral cycles. Balloon distention decreased PP frequency, slowed the velocity of corporal and enhanced the velocity of antral propagation, and increased the incidence of antral AP. Water instillation decreased PP frequency, slowed the velocity of corporal propagation, slowed or enhanced the velocity of antral propagation, and increased the incidence of antral AP. Oil instillation caused wide variations in PP frequency, slowed the velocity of corporal and antral propagation, and decreased the incidence of antral AP,