Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>Fluctuations in motilin plasma levels have been implicated in the control of the migrating motor complex (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content>). A plasma peak of motilin is present before a gastric phase III. Furthermore, not only exogenous administration of motilin but also ghrelin induces a gastric phase III in man. Aim of this study was to investigate the role of endogenous ghrelin in the regulation of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Plasma samples for motilin and ghrelin were taken in between two consecutive phases III of either origin measured using high‐resolution manometry.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Key Results</jats:title><jats:p>The duration of 1 complete <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content> cycle was on average 95 ± 12 min. Sixty percent of the first phases III and 40% of the second phases III had a gastric origin (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.0574). Motilin (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.05) plasma levels differed significantly between the phases of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content> but total and octanoylated ghrelin did not. The percentage change in motilin during the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content> was dependent on the origin of phase III (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.05). Motilin levels increased on average with 35 ± 10% right before a gastric phase III and with 3 ± 4% before a duodenal phase III (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.05). The percentage change in total and octanoylated ghrelin plasma levels was not affected by the origin of phase III.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions & Inferences</jats:title><jats:p>These results confirm the role of motilin but not of ghrelin as an endogenous physiological regulator of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MMC</jats:styled-content> with a gastric phase III.</jats:p></jats:sec>