Digestive, cognitive and hedonic responses to a meal

作者：Malagelada C; Accarino A; Molne L; Mendez S; Campos E; Gonzalez A; Malagelada J R; Azpiroz F^*

来源：Neuro-Gastroenterology and Motility, 2015, 27(3): 389-396.

DOI：10.1111/nmo.12504

• gastric accommodation
• gastric distension
• hedonic response
• intestinal nutrients
• meal ingestion
• postprandial sensations

BackgroundGut dysfunctions may be associated to digestive symptoms. We hypothesized that the gut can also originate pleasant sensations, and wished to demonstrate the hedonic component of the digestive response to a meal.
MethodsHealthy subjects (n=42) were evaluated during basal fasting conditions and during experimentally induced fullness sensation (either by gastric distension or duodenal nutrient infusion). In each set of studies, a 240mL test meal (12kcal broth) and water, as inert control meal, were administered on separate days in a randomized, cross-over design. Gastric accommodation, the cognitive response and the hedonic dimension (both by 10 score scales) were measured 9min before and 60min after the meal.
Key ResultsIn basal conditions, the test meal induced a significantly greater gastric relaxation than the control meal (16628mL isotonic volume increase 67 +/- 14mL; p=0.002). Both meals induced epigastric fullness (3.8 +/- 0.7 score and 3.2 +/- 0.8 score, respectively; p=0.740), but contrary to the inert meal, with the active meal this conscious sensation had a pleasant dimension (digestive comfort increase by 1.3 +/- 0.6 score with active meal vs -1.1 +/- 0.6 decrease with inert meal; p=0.015). Experimentally induced fullness was associated to a decrease in digestive well-being or abdominal discomfort, which improved only after the active meal but not the inert meal.
Conclusions & InferencesWhen appropriate conditions are met, the response to a meal includes a hedonic dimension involving pleasant sensation of digestive well-being.

• 出版日期2015-3