Abdominothoracic Postural Tone Influences the Sensations Induced by Meal Ingestion

Dan M Livovsky, Claudia Barber, Elizabeth Barba, Anna Accarino, Fernando Azpiroz, Dan M Livovsky, Claudia Barber, Elizabeth Barba, Anna Accarino, Fernando Azpiroz

Abstract

Postprandial objective abdominal distention is frequently associated with a subjective sensation of abdominal bloating, but the relation between both complaints is unknown. While the bloating sensation has a visceral origin, abdominal distention is a behavioral somatic response, involving contraction and descent of the diaphragm with protrusion of the anterior abdominal wall. Our aim was to determine whether abdominal distention influences digestive sensations. In 16 healthy women we investigated the effect of intentional abdominal distention on experimentally induced bloating sensation (by a meal overload). Participants were first taught to produce diaphragmatic contraction and visible abdominal distention. After a meal overload, sensations of bloating (0 to 10) and digestive well-being (-5 to + 5) were measured during 30-s. maneuvers alternating diaphragmatic contraction and diaphragmatic relaxation. Compared to diaphragmatic relaxation, diaphragmatic contraction was associated with diaphragmatic descent (by 21 + 3 mm; p < 0.001), objective abdominal distension (32 + 5 mm girth increase; p = 0.001), more intense sensation of bloating (7.3 + 0.4 vs. 8.0 + 0.4 score; p = 0.010) and lower digestive well-being (-0.9 + 0.5 vs. -1.9 + 0.5 score; p = 0.028). These results indicate that somatic postural tone underlying abdominal distention worsens the perception of visceral sensations (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04691882).

Keywords: abdominal distension; abdominal wall activity; hedonic sensations; homeostatic sensations; meal ingestion; postprandial responses.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Responses to meal ingestion. The challenge meal induced bloating sensation and impaired sensation of digestive well-being.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of somatic maneuvers on digestive sensations. Diaphragmatic contraction (i.e., intentional abdominal distension) was associated with increased postprandial bloating and impaired digestive well-being.

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