Peripheral and central pathophysiological changes in a new rat model of acid reflux combined with mental stress

Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease of the upper gastrointestinal system that frequently occurs worldwide. According to a survey in the United States, GERD affects approximately 44.1% of people in the world, and the incidence rate is around 8.8-25.9% in European countries and 2.5-7.8% in East Asia, which is increasing annually. 1,2 Persistent symptoms of GERD may lower the quality of life, and if more severe, then there is a potential risk of esophageal carcinoma. 3,4 GERD, as the name suggests, manifests as symptoms of discomfort and/or complications caused by the return of gastroduodenal contents into the esophagus, including heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, pharyngolaryngeal obstruction, and other esophageal and extra-esophageal symptomatic syndrome. 5 Many studies have shown that frequent reflux causes an increased time of acid