Clinical Trials

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Controls
   1. Healthy women volunteers aged 18-80 years
   2. Able to provide written informed consent before participating in the study
   3. Able to communicate adequately with the investigator and to comply with the requirements for the entire study
2. Patients (women aged 18-80 years)
   1. Fecal incontinence. Women with fecal incontinence occurring more than once per month
   2. Constipation.  Women with chronic constipation for 1 year with any 2 or more of the following symptoms for 3 months or longer, i.e. <3 bowel motions/week, straining ≥ 25% of time, hard or lumpy stools ≥ 25% of time, incomplete{C}{C}{C}
   3. Able to provide written informed consent before participating in the study
   4. Able to communicate adequately with the investigator and to comply with the requirements for the entire study

Exclusion Criteria:

Items indicated with an asterisk (*) are also exclusion criteria for patients

1. Controls
   1. Clinical evidence of significant cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal, hematological, neurological, psychiatric or other disease that may interfere with the objectives of the study and/or pose safety concerns.*
   2. Current symptoms of a functional gastrointestinal disorder assessed by questionnaire
   3. Putative risk factors for pelvic floor trauma, i.e. six or more vaginal deliveries, birthweight >4500gms (macrosomia), or known 4th degree perineal tear
   4. Medications that are likely to alter gastrointestinal motility, e.g., opiates, anticholinergic medications, high doses of serotoninergic agents (e.g. fluoxetine 80mg or greater), alpha adrenergic agonists, calcium channel or b blockers; stable dose of thyroxine will be permitted
   5. Active rectal inflammation, cancer; perianal sepsis; history of pelvic radiation, rectosigmoid surgery or inflammatory bowel disease*
   6. Anxiety or depression as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire
   7. Contraindications for MR imaging, i.e. pacemakers, aneurysm clips, cochlear implants
   8. Pregnant women, prisoners and institutionalized individuals