We have investigated the mechanism of regulation of colorectal motility by the central nervous system in rats. We found that the nucleus, which is a component of the descending pain modulatory pathways, plays an important role as a supraspinal defecation center and regulates colorectal motility via the spinal defecation center in the lumbosacral spinal cord. We also found that this central regulation of colorectal motility was altered plastically by chronic stimuli. Recently, it has been shown that the regulation of colorectal motility is also altered in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. In this article, we summarize our findings regarding the regulation of colorectal motility by the central nervous system and the possibility of the regulation being involved in the pathogenesis of defecation abnormalities, especially chronic constipation in Parkinson’s disease.

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