SLEEP AND GASTRIC FUNCTION IN IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME - DERAILING THE BRAIN-GUT AXIS

Background-Recently, several studies have shown an alteration in bowel function during sleep in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) , and a recent study also suggests a remarkable increase in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. These studies have suggested that an alteration in CNS function may play an important role in the pathogenesis of IBS; . Aims-To confirm the presence of an alteration in REM sleep in patien ts with IES and to assess the relation between sleep and a non-invasiv e measure of gastric functioning, the electrogastrogram (EGG). Patient s-Ten patients with IBSand 10 age and sex matched normal volunteers. M ethods-All subjects slept one night in the sleep laboratory and underw ent polysomnographic monitoring to determine sleep patterns, and recor ding of the EGG from surface electrodes. Results-The IBS group had a n otable and significant increase hm the percentage and duration of REM sleep (p<0.05). The control group had a decrease in the amplitude of t he dominant EGG frequency from waking to non-REM sleep (p<0.05), and a subsequent increase in the amplitude from non-REM to REM sleep (p<0.0 5). No such changes were noted in the patients with HBS. Conclusions-R esults confirmed the enhancement of REM sleep in patients with LES and suggested an intrinsic alteration in autonomic and CNS functioning in patients with IBS.