Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that during the postprandial period in humans, dopamine interrupts the gastrointestinal motility pattern through a mechanism that is peptide-mediated. Fourteen normal human subjects were studied by means of intestinal manometry. After recording two consecutive migrating motor complexes a 900-kcal solid-liquid meal was given. In eight subjects 30 min after the meal, placebo or dopamine (5 μg/kg/min) was infused for 15 min and then the recording continued for 120 min. In the remaining six subjects dopamine was administered twice with a 90-min interval in between. In three subjects the first dopamine infusion after the meal was preceded by treatment with placebo, the second by domperidone (20 mg intravenous as bolus), in the other three subjects domperidone was given before the first dopamine infusion. Blood samples for the determination of somatostatin and motilin were drawn basally, during, and immediately after dopamine in seven subjects. The results show that dopamine interrupts the fed motility pattern, inhibiting the high antrat waves, and activates a duodenal phase III of migrating motor complexes. The pretreatment with domperidone completely prevented the dopamine effect. Plasma levels of motilin increased significantly during dopamine, while somatostatin blood levels did not change. These findings support the hypothesis that a dopaminergic mechanism may modulate the cycling of duodenal motor complex in humans.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Thorner MO: Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system. Lancet 1:662–664, 1975
Goldberg Ll: Cardiovascular and renal actions of dopamine: Potential clinical application. Pharmachol Rev 24:1–29, 1972
Lanfranchi GA, Marzio L, Cortini C, Trento L, Labó G: Effect of dopamine on gastric motility in man: evidence for specific receptors.In Gastrointestinal Motility in Health and Disease. HL Duthie (ed). Lancaster, MTP Press, 1978, pp 161–171
Marzio L, Neri M, DiGiammarco AM, Cuccurullo F, Lanfranchi GA: Dopamine-induced migrating myoelectrical complex-like activity in human duodenum. Dig Dis Sci 31:349–354, 1986
Peeters TL, Janssens J, Vantrappen G: Somatostatin and the interdigestive migrating motor complex in man. Regul Pept 5:209–217, 1983
Vantrappen G, Janssens J, Peeters TL, Bloom SR, Christofides ND, Hellemans J: Motilin and the interdigestive migrating motor complex in man. Dig Dis Sci 124:497–500, 1979
Lanfranchi GA, Marzio L, Cortini C, Moreno-Osset E: Motor effect of dopamine on human sigmoid colon. Evidence for specific receptors. Am J Dig Dis 23:257–263, 1978
Kellow JE, Borody TJ, Phillips SF, Tucker RL, Haddad AC: Human interdigestive motility: Variations in patterns from esophagus to colon. Gastroenterology 91:386–395, 1986
Laduron PM, Leysen JE: Domperidone, a specificin vitro dopamine antagonist, devoid ofin vivo central dopaminergic activity. Biochem Pharmachol 28:2161–2166, 1979
Connell AM, Avery Jones F, Rowlands AN: Motility of the pelvic colon IV. Abdominal pain associated with colonic hypermotility after meals. Gut 6:105–109, 1965
Weisbrodt NM: Motility of the small intestine.In Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. LR Johnson (ed). New York, Raven Press, 1981, pp 411–443
Fioramonti J, Fargeas M-J, Honde C, Bueno L: Effect of central and peripheral administration of dopamine on pattern of intestinal motility in dogs. Dig Dis Sci 29:1023–1027, 1984
Kurosawa S, Hasler W, Owyang C: Characterization of dopamine receptors in gastric smooth muscle: Mediation of circular smooth muscle contraction by calcium phosphatidylinositol pathway and longitudinal smooth muscle relaxation by cyclic-AMP. Gastroenterology 94:A242, 1984
Bormans V, Peeters TL, Janssens J, Pearce D, Vandeweerd M, Vantrappen G. In man, only activity fronts that originate in the stomach correlate with motilin peaks. Scand J Gastroenterol 22:781–784, 1987
Sarna SK: Cyclic motor activity; migrating motor complex. Gastroenterology 89:894–913, 1985
Sarr MG, Duenes JA: Site of action of morphine sulfate and motilin in the induction of “premature” phase III-like activity in the canine gastrointestinal tract. Surgery 103:653–661, 1988
Summers RW, Flatt A, Yanda RT, Yamada T: Isoproterenol induces activity fronts in fed dogs through somatostatin release. Gastroenterology 87:999–1003, 1984
Neri M, Cuccurullo F, Marzio L: Effect of somatostatin on gallbladder volume and small intestinal motor activity in man. Gastroenterology (in press)
Hostein J, Janssens J, Vantrappen G, Peeters TL, Vandeweerd M, Leman G: Somatostatin induces ectopic activity fronts of the migrating myoelectrical complex via a local intestinal mechanism. Gastroenterology 87:1004–1008, 1984
Schusdziarra V: Somatostatin: Physiological and pathophysiological aspects. Scand J Gastroenterol 18 (suppl):69–84, 1983
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marzio, L., Neri, M., Pieramico, O. et al. Dopamine interrupts gastrointestinal fed motility pattern in humans. Digest Dis Sci 35, 327–332 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537410
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537410