The bioelectrical basis and validity of gastrointestinal extracellular slow wave recordings

•  Extracellular recording techniques are commonly used to measure bioelectrical activity. However, the validity of gastrointestinal extracellular recordings has recently been challenged. •  In this joint experimental and modelling study, slow waves were recorded during contractile inhibition, biphasic and monophasic slow wave potentials were recorded simultaneously, and the biophysical basis of extracellular potentials was modelled with comparison to experimental data. •  The results showed that in vivo extracellular techniques reliably recorded slow waves in the absence of contractions, and potentials recorded using conventional serosal electrodes (biphasic) were concordant in phase and morphology with those recorded using suction electrodes (monophasic). •  Modelling further demonstrated that the morphology of experimental recordings is consistent with the biophysics underlying slow wave depolarisation. •  In total, these results demonstrate that gastrointestinal extracellular recordings are valid when performed and analysed correctly, reliably representing bioelectrical slow wave events. Motion suppression is not routinely required for in vivo extracellular studies.

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