GI Physiology practice questions - boards questions and
answered -2023
A pt w/ DM presents w/ gastroesophageal reflux disease accompanying gastroparesis. Which
of the following statements about gastric emptying is correct?
A. solids empty more rapidly than liquids
B. meals containing fat empty faster that carb rich food
C. hyperosmolality of duodenal contents intitates a decrease in gastric emptying
D. acidification of the antrum increases gastric emptying
E. vagal stimulation decreases receptive relaxation in upper portion of stomach
C. hyperosmolality of duodenal contents intitates a decrease in gastric emptying
A 27 yo female med student w/ IBS has an alteration in intestinal motility resulting in
fluctuating constipation and diarrhea. Her condition has worsened in the past month as the
date she has scheduled for her licensure exam approaches. Which of the following
statements about small intestinal motility is correct?
A. contractile frequency is constant from duodenum to terminal ileum
B. peristalsis is the only contractile activity that occurs during feeding.
C. migrating motor complexes occur during the digestive period
D. vagotomy abolishes contractile activity during the digestive period
E. contractile activity is initiated in response to bowel wall distenstion
E. contractile activity is initiated in response to bowel wall distenstion
18 yo male w/ pernicious anemia lacks intrinsic factor, which is needed for absorption of
cyanocobalamin. Vit B12 is absorbed primarily from which portion of the GI tract?
A. stomach
B. duodenum
C. jejunum
D. ileum
C. colon
D. ileum
A 57 yo man undergoes resection of the distal 100 cm of the terminal ileum as part of
treatment for Crohn's disease. The pt likely will develop malabsorption of which of the
following?
A. iron
B. folate
C. lactose
D. bile salts
E. protein
,D. bile salts
A 42 yo salesman presents w/ the chief complaint of intermittent midepigastric pain that is
relieved by antacids or eating. Gastric analysis reveals that basal and maximal acid output
exceed normal values. The gastric acid hypersecretion can be explained by an increase in the
plasma conc of which?
A. somatostatin
B. histamine
c. gastrin
D. secretin
E. enterogastrone
c. gastrin
A 27 yo female comes to the emergency room because of a 2 day bout of profuse watery
diarrhea. Physical examination reveals dry lips and oropharynx. The pt is diagnosed w/ acute
secretory diarrhea and dehydration likely d/t E Coli. Which of the following sodium
reabsorptive paths is inhibited by the enterotoxin?
A. sodium glucose coupled cotransport
B. electroneutral NaCl transport
C. electrogenic sodium diffusion
D. sodium hydrogen countertransport
E. sodium bile salt cotransport
B. electroneutral NaCl transport
A 37 yo male presents w/ dehydration and hypokalmic metabolic acidosis. This acid-base and
electrolyte disorder can occur w/ excess fluid loss from which of the following organs?
A. stomach
B. ileum
C. colon
D. pancreas
E. liver
C. colon
A 49 yo man undergoes vagotomy for his peptic ulcer disease. As a result, which of the
following GI motor activities will be affected most?
A. secondary esophageal peristalsis
B. distension induced intestinal segmentation
C. orad stomach accommodation
D. caudad stomach peristalsis
E. migrating motor complexes
C. orad stomach accommodation
, A 35-year-old male smoker presents with burning epigastric pain that is most pronounced on
an empty stomach. A paroxysmal rise in serum gastrin in response to intravenous secretin
further supports a diagnosis of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Normally, basal acid output is
increased by which of the following?
a. Acidification of the antrum
b. Administration of an H 2 -receptor antagonist
c. Vagotomy
d. Alkalinization of the antrum
e. Acidification of the duodenum
d. Alkalinization of the antrum
A 42-year-old male develops a gastric carcinoma affecting the proximal third of his stomach.
He is scheduled for a partial gastrectomy of the affected region, which will primarily affect
which of the following processes?
a. Accommodation
b. Peristalsis
c. Retropulsion
d. Segmentation
e. Trituration
a. Accommodation
A 68-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, who has been taking nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) for the past 10 years, complains of burning epigastric pain that
is relieved by antacids, but worsened with food. Her doctor discontinues the NSAIDS and
starts her on cimetidine. Which of the following is true regarding the pharmacological
blockade of histamine H 2 receptors in the gastric mucosa?
a. It inhibits both gastrinand acetylcholine-mediated secretion of acid b. It inhibits gastrin-
induced but not meal-stimulated secretion of acid
c. It has no effect on either gastrin-induced or meal-stimulated secretion of acid
d. It prevents activation of adenyl cyclase by gastrin
e. It causes an increase in potassium transport by gastric parietal (oxyntic) cells
a. It inhibits both gastrinand acetylcholine-mediated secretion of acid
A 37-year-old male with AIDS presents with a fever, anorexia, weight loss, and GI bleeding.
Physical examination reveals a palpable abdominal mass. Endoscopy and biopsy reveal a
small-bowel malignancy, indicating surgical resection. Removal of proximal segments of the
small intestine would most likely result in a decrease in which of the following?
a. Basal acid output
b. Maximal acid output
c. Gastric emptying of liquids
answered -2023
A pt w/ DM presents w/ gastroesophageal reflux disease accompanying gastroparesis. Which
of the following statements about gastric emptying is correct?
A. solids empty more rapidly than liquids
B. meals containing fat empty faster that carb rich food
C. hyperosmolality of duodenal contents intitates a decrease in gastric emptying
D. acidification of the antrum increases gastric emptying
E. vagal stimulation decreases receptive relaxation in upper portion of stomach
C. hyperosmolality of duodenal contents intitates a decrease in gastric emptying
A 27 yo female med student w/ IBS has an alteration in intestinal motility resulting in
fluctuating constipation and diarrhea. Her condition has worsened in the past month as the
date she has scheduled for her licensure exam approaches. Which of the following
statements about small intestinal motility is correct?
A. contractile frequency is constant from duodenum to terminal ileum
B. peristalsis is the only contractile activity that occurs during feeding.
C. migrating motor complexes occur during the digestive period
D. vagotomy abolishes contractile activity during the digestive period
E. contractile activity is initiated in response to bowel wall distenstion
E. contractile activity is initiated in response to bowel wall distenstion
18 yo male w/ pernicious anemia lacks intrinsic factor, which is needed for absorption of
cyanocobalamin. Vit B12 is absorbed primarily from which portion of the GI tract?
A. stomach
B. duodenum
C. jejunum
D. ileum
C. colon
D. ileum
A 57 yo man undergoes resection of the distal 100 cm of the terminal ileum as part of
treatment for Crohn's disease. The pt likely will develop malabsorption of which of the
following?
A. iron
B. folate
C. lactose
D. bile salts
E. protein
,D. bile salts
A 42 yo salesman presents w/ the chief complaint of intermittent midepigastric pain that is
relieved by antacids or eating. Gastric analysis reveals that basal and maximal acid output
exceed normal values. The gastric acid hypersecretion can be explained by an increase in the
plasma conc of which?
A. somatostatin
B. histamine
c. gastrin
D. secretin
E. enterogastrone
c. gastrin
A 27 yo female comes to the emergency room because of a 2 day bout of profuse watery
diarrhea. Physical examination reveals dry lips and oropharynx. The pt is diagnosed w/ acute
secretory diarrhea and dehydration likely d/t E Coli. Which of the following sodium
reabsorptive paths is inhibited by the enterotoxin?
A. sodium glucose coupled cotransport
B. electroneutral NaCl transport
C. electrogenic sodium diffusion
D. sodium hydrogen countertransport
E. sodium bile salt cotransport
B. electroneutral NaCl transport
A 37 yo male presents w/ dehydration and hypokalmic metabolic acidosis. This acid-base and
electrolyte disorder can occur w/ excess fluid loss from which of the following organs?
A. stomach
B. ileum
C. colon
D. pancreas
E. liver
C. colon
A 49 yo man undergoes vagotomy for his peptic ulcer disease. As a result, which of the
following GI motor activities will be affected most?
A. secondary esophageal peristalsis
B. distension induced intestinal segmentation
C. orad stomach accommodation
D. caudad stomach peristalsis
E. migrating motor complexes
C. orad stomach accommodation
, A 35-year-old male smoker presents with burning epigastric pain that is most pronounced on
an empty stomach. A paroxysmal rise in serum gastrin in response to intravenous secretin
further supports a diagnosis of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Normally, basal acid output is
increased by which of the following?
a. Acidification of the antrum
b. Administration of an H 2 -receptor antagonist
c. Vagotomy
d. Alkalinization of the antrum
e. Acidification of the duodenum
d. Alkalinization of the antrum
A 42-year-old male develops a gastric carcinoma affecting the proximal third of his stomach.
He is scheduled for a partial gastrectomy of the affected region, which will primarily affect
which of the following processes?
a. Accommodation
b. Peristalsis
c. Retropulsion
d. Segmentation
e. Trituration
a. Accommodation
A 68-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, who has been taking nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) for the past 10 years, complains of burning epigastric pain that
is relieved by antacids, but worsened with food. Her doctor discontinues the NSAIDS and
starts her on cimetidine. Which of the following is true regarding the pharmacological
blockade of histamine H 2 receptors in the gastric mucosa?
a. It inhibits both gastrinand acetylcholine-mediated secretion of acid b. It inhibits gastrin-
induced but not meal-stimulated secretion of acid
c. It has no effect on either gastrin-induced or meal-stimulated secretion of acid
d. It prevents activation of adenyl cyclase by gastrin
e. It causes an increase in potassium transport by gastric parietal (oxyntic) cells
a. It inhibits both gastrinand acetylcholine-mediated secretion of acid
A 37-year-old male with AIDS presents with a fever, anorexia, weight loss, and GI bleeding.
Physical examination reveals a palpable abdominal mass. Endoscopy and biopsy reveal a
small-bowel malignancy, indicating surgical resection. Removal of proximal segments of the
small intestine would most likely result in a decrease in which of the following?
a. Basal acid output
b. Maximal acid output
c. Gastric emptying of liquids
