Is Functional Dyspepsia a Motor Abnormality?

Although functional dyspepsia (FD) is common, its underlying causeremains unclear. In a review article in the April 2004 issue of The AmericanJournal of Gastroenterology, Suzanne Timmons, MRCPI, and colleaguesdiscussed the complex interrelationship between abnormal motor activityand sensation in patients with FD. They also discussed the potential role ofautonomic dysfunction in modulating gastrointestinal (GI) sensation andmotor function.

Many patients with FD display delayed gastric emptying; some of thesepatients have also been found to have abnormal electrogastrography activity.Patients with FD have been shown to have an increased sensitivity tomechanical gastric distension, which is associated with postprandial pain,belching, and weight loss. The authors conclude that all cases of FD cannotbe explained by any single abnormality in GI function and that FD ismost likely a multifactorial disorder.