Gastrointestinal motility - new directions?

The last decade has seen two important opposing trends in the field of GI motility: An increase in new evaluative techniques and a marked decrease in GI trainees’ interest in pursuing a career in GI motility. The latter trend, if it continues, will eventually have a negative impact on the former, further compounded by the limited introduction of new motility-related therapeutic modalities. To reconcile these two antagonistic trends, immediate attention by concerned GI societies and organizations is called for. This publication therefore starts with the perspective of the presidents of the World Congress of Gastroenterology and of the American Motility Society on the academic, research and training opportunities in GI motility. Subsequently, information about new clinical and research developments in GI motility and functional bowel disorders is provided: Experts in the field address areas that show promising new developments likely to lead to a better understanding and management of GI motility disorders. This publication will hopefully draw attention to the renaissance that the GI motility field has enjoyed in recent years. At the same time, it is emphasized that the field has reached a critical point in attracting the needed critical mass that will ensure its future.