We investigated the neuromagnetic responses to mechanical stimulation of th
e oesophagus. In six healthy right-handed volunteers (mean age 31.6 years)
the proximal and distal oesophagus were stimulated by electronically contro
lled pump-inflation of a silicone balloon once every 4.5-5.5 sec (dwell tim
e 145 msec). The balloon volume was adjusted to induce different sensation
levels (i) just above threshold of perception, (ii) strong sensation and (i
ii) painful sensation. Evoked magnetic brain responses were recorded time-l
ocked to stimulus onset with a Neuromag-122TM whole-head neuromagnetometer
and modelled as equivalent current diploe (ECD) sources. ECDs were superimp
osed on individual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Magnetic brain r
esponses following distal oesophageal stimulation were adequately explained
by a time-varying 2-4 dipole model with unilateral or bilateral sources in
second somatosensory cortex and later sources in the frontal cortex. With
increasing stimulus intensities, latencies of the sources decreased and amp
litudes increased. Proximal oesophageal stimulation led to activation of so
urce areas spatially similar to those of distal oesophageal stimulation but
with shorter response latencies. Both painful and nonpainful mechanical st
imulation of the oesophagus activate the second somatosensory cortex (SII).
Evidence for topographic organization of oesophageal afferents in SII is p
oor.