ATTENTION AND DISTRACTION - EFFECTS ON GUT PERCEPTION

Background & Aims: Paying attention to the gut may magnify perception of abdominal symptoms, but the actual influence of attention by antici patory knowledge and distraction on gut perception remains poorly defi ned, The aim of this study was to determine whether mental activity, a ttention vs, distraction, affects intestinal perception and whether me ntal effects are synergistic with other modulatory mechanisms, Methods : Perception of 1-minute intestinal balloon distentions applied at 7-1 3-minute random intervals was measured in healthy subjects, First, dis tentions were tested during attention by anticipatory knowledge and du ring distraction (n = 8). Because somatic transcutaneous electrical ne rve stimulation (TENS) reduces gut perception, distentions were then t ested during attention alone, attention plus somatic TENS, and during distraction plus TENS (n = 8), Results: Perception of intestinal diste ntions was higher during attention than during distraction (3.3 +/- 0. 2 vs, 2.9 +/- 0.1 [mean +/- SEM]; P < 0.05). The area of somatic proje ction was greater during attention (P < 0.05). Intestinal compliance a nd oral reflex relaxation remained unchanged. During application of so matic TENS, perception of intestinal distention was higher during atte ntion than distraction (2.4 +/- 0.3 vs, 1.7 +/- 0.2; P < 0.05), Howeve r, TENS did not alter the perception score during attention, Conclusio ns: Mental activity may modulate gut perception and overrides the effe cts of somatic TENS on gut perception.