Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, An Issue Of Gastroenterology Clinics (the Clinics: Internal Medicine)

Gastroenterol Clin N Am 36 (2007) xiii–xiv GASTROENTEROLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA Preface Henry P. Parkman, MD Guest Editor T his issue of Gastroenterology Clinics of North America focuses on an important area in gastroenterology for both clinicians and researchers: neurogastroenterology and gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders. GI motility and functional GI disorders are common reasons for patients to see physicians. Knowledge of GI motility disorders, including the evaluation and treatment of these disorders, is important for gastroenterologists, clinicians, and health care providers to appropriately care for these frequently seen patients in clinical practice. Gastrointestinal motility can be defined as motor activity in the digestive tract that mixes ingested food with digestive juices and moves luminal contents of the gastrointestinal tract in an aboral direction from the mouth toward the anus. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of GI motility disorders has revealed a crucial role of the enteric, autonomic, and central nervous system. In fact, the term neurogastroenterology was introduced in the early 1990s to account for the study of these processes. As with any new term, there was resistance to its introduction. The breakthrough came when the editorial board of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Motility changed its name to Neurogastroenterology and Motility in 1994. The European Society changed its name in 1996; recently, the American Society became the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society, and the International Group became the International Society of Neurogastroenterology. Neurogastroenterology emphasizes clinical and experimental gastroenterology embracing the concept of brain–gut interactions and refers to motor disorders of the gastrointestinal tract attributable to neural control mechanisms, including the psychophysiology of clinical disorders of visceral perception and motor function. As defined in the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia, ‘‘neurogastroenterology is a research area in the field of 0889-8553/07/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2007.07.011 ª 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. gastro.theclinics.com xiv PREFACE gastroenterology which regards interactions of the central nervous system (brain) and the gut—the so-called brain–gut axis. Important research focuses upon upward (sensory) and downward (motor and regulatory) neural connections and upon endocrine influences on gut function and the enteric nervous system in itself. Clinical research deals on many levels involving GI motility disorders and functional bowel disorders.’’ The articles in this issue discuss key aspects of GI motility disorders, focusing on how they relate to practicing gastroenterologists, clinical investigators, and other health care providers. Current knowledge in the area as well as evolving concepts from clinical investigations and translational research from basic sciences is discussed. The rapid explosion of new