We studied gastric motor functions by scintigraphic gastric emptying analysis and surface electrogastrography (EGG), and personality trait deviation in patients with functional dyspepsia. Delayed gastric emptying was observed in 17/35 patients and reduced normal EGG activity in 22/35 functional dyspepsia patients. There was a highly significant negative correlation between the gastric retention rate (at 150 min) and the duration of normal EGG waves. Abnormally high T scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test (70 or above) were found in 14/21 patients. Hypochondriasis (Hs) and conversion hysteria (Hy) were the most common abnormal findings. Ninety percent of functional dyspepsia patients (19/21) had either gastric dysmotility and/or psychological deviation. Although there was no significant correlation between gastric dysmotility and deviation in personality traits in functional dyspepsia patients, these data suggest that brain-gut interactions may play an important role in the symptoms of functional dyspepsia.