Is peristalsis a perpetual motion or does it stop and start?
The reason I ask is that with an ileostomy I noticed there would be quiet times but shortly after eating there would be a sudden increase in output. The same can be said about the pouch, that quite often after eating there is the urge to defecate. Obviously it is not the food just consumed that needs to be evacuated but perhaps the consumption of food starts or increases the peristalsic waves?
Just something that is puzzling me, but if anyone has any answers............???

Clive

There should always be some sort of activity in the bowels, but most of the time it is not detectable. Bowel sounds are what we are listening for when we put the stethoscope on your belly. Silence is bad (means you have a paralytic ileus), and hyperactivity is also not a good sign.

Anyway, you are correct that increased bowel activity following a meal is typical and you are also correct in your reasoning. The presence of food in the stomach stimulates the gastrocolic reflex, which is an increase in peristalsis throughout the gut. However, there is also what is called jejunal and ileal brakes, where there is slowing of peristalsis in the presence of a fatty meal. This is to allow for slower digestion because fat takes longer to digest. I suppose between the gastrocolic reflex and small intestine brakes, there is a ying/yang effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic_reflex

http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/pm/12222790.html?pmid=16968603

Jan

Thanks for clearing that up Jan.

Clive