Retrograde Gastric Electrical Stimulation Reduces Food Intake and Weight in Obese Rats

Abstract

To investigate the therapeutic potential of retrograde gastric electrical stimulation (RGES) for obesity in a rodent model of obesity. The study was performed in 12 obese Zucker rats implanted with two pairs of gastric serosal electrodes, one pair for stimulation and the other for recording intrinsic gastric myoelectrical activity. It was composed of an acute study in three sessions to study the effect of RGES on intrinsic gastric myoelectrical activity and acute food intake and a chronic phase to study the short-term effect of RGES on weight. RGES was performed through the distal stomach using long pulses at a frequency of tachygastria (known to induce gastric hypomotility). RGES completely entrained intrinsic gastric myoelectrical activity and turned it into tachygastria at a certain strength. RGES reduced acute food intake compared with the control (p < 0.01). A 2-week treatment of RGES resulted in a significant reduction in food intake (p = 0.002) and a significantly greater weight loss than sham stimulation (p = 0.004). RGES at a tachygastrial frequency reduces food intake and results in weight loss in obese Zucker rats, and its effect is probably attributed to the introduction of tachygastria in the stomach.