Nuclear medicine evaluation of motion sickness and medications on gastric emptying time
Wood, M.J.; Wood, C.D.; Manno, J.E.; Manno, B.R.; Redetzki, H.M.
Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine 58(11): 1112-1114
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0095-6562 PMID: 3318799 Document Number: 304447
Diminished gastric motility and lack of bowel sounds have been observed in astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle (4). In this study subjects were given scopolamine 0.6 mg with d-amphetamine 5 mg with and without neostigmine 15 mg. Neostigmine 15 mg alone was also compared with placebo for effect on gastric emptying time. In an additional test, subjects performed head movements in a rotating chair to an end-point of motion sickness short of vomiting. Ten ounces of isotenic saline containing 1 mCi of Tc 99mDPTA was ingested 2 h after the medications and immediately after rotation. The counts from stomach contents were monitored with a Picker small field of view gamma camera every 30 s for 1 h. Gastric motility was inhibited by scopolamine and amphetamine with 14% residual count at the end of 1 h. When neostigmine was added to this combination the results were in the placebo range. Motion sickness produced a profound inhibition of gastric emptying with a 47% residual count. The results indicate that the gastric statis encountered in space is due mainly to motion sickness with a minimal contribution from the antimotion sickness drugs.