HUMAN GUT BRAIN INTERACTIONS

In recent years, neurophysiological techniques have been developed whi ch allow access to the gut-brain axis in humans. Among these tools, re cording of cerebral evoked potentials following stimulation of a visce ra (rectosigmoid, oesophagus) as well as the striated anal sphincter m uscle have gained importance for evaluation of afferent pathways in fu nctional bowel disorders. Oesophageal and anal motor evoked potentials after transcranial magnetoelectrical stimulation of the motor cortex and the spine have demonstrated the feasibility to access the efferent motor pathways to these muscles as well, but studies are still needed to demonstrate their clinical importance. Finally, recording of elect romechanical coupling at the level of a single muscle (external anal s phincter) will give further insight into the continence mechanism in h ealth and disease.