Psychosomatic Medicine 36:411-419 (1974)
© 1974 American Psychosomatic Society

Learned Control of Gastric Acid Secretions in Ulcer Patients

¹ University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Address reprint requests to: Department of Mental Health, 1441 Superior Ave., Newport Beach, California

This study was an attempt to train increases in the pH of gastric acid secretions in peptic ulcer patients. In Expt. 1, in the presence of pH feedback, 10 Ss showed significant increases in pH of gastric acid secretions, while acid concentration and volume of secretions significantly declined. When feedback was subsequently withheld, no significant changes appeared in these measures. A second study then tested if initial changes following the basal period were experimental effects. In Expt. 2, 10 Ss were divided into two groups; one group received no feedback after a basal condition, while a second group received feedback after the basal condition. Results showed that significant increases in pH and decreases in acid concentration and volume occurred only after the onset of pH feedback. This preliminary work suggests that gastric acid secretions may be altered and controlled with the appropriate feedback.

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