Swallowing uses over 30 muscles in precise coordination

The reflexive and voluntary actions of over 30 nerves and muscles produce this coordinated movement.[1] Typically, individuals give little thought to the process of swallowing; however, its complexity can lead to significant issues in specific individuals, and as such, there are dedicated fields ...

Swallowing is a highly regulated and coordinated physiologic act that relies on sequential activation of multiple muscle groups across the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. During the oral stage, tongue movement is critical for bolus manipulation and propulsion.

Deglutition, the act of swallowing, is an extremely complex process involving approximately 50 pairs of muscles and nerves that are responsible for pr…

Deglutition is the transport of a bolus of food or liquid from the mouth to the stomach.12 Normal deglutition requires precisely timed contraction and relaxation of numerous muscles of the oral and pharyngeal regions (Table 54-1).18 After prehension and mastication the food bolus stimulates sensory receptors in the oropharynx that inhibit the muscles of mastication and allows swallowing to occur. The structures involved in deglutition include the tongue, hard and soft palate, pharyngeal muscles, esophagus, and gastroesophageal junction.19 Coordination of swallowing is controlled by the trigeminal (CN V), facial (CN VII), glossopharyngeal (CN IX), vagus (X), and hypoglossal (CN XII) nerves and their nuclei.

Deglutition or a swallow begins as a voluntary act in the oral cavity but proceeds autonomously in the pharynx and esophagus. Bilateral sequenced activation and inhibition of more than 25 pairs of muscles of mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus ...

Specifically, in this work, we compared different threshold values, ranging from 10–40%, and obtained similar results for threshold ranges of from 20 to 30%. The cG-causality difference between healthy and dysphagic subjects was assessed using the raw MIM, which represented muscle interaction during swallowing.

A safe and efficient swallow requires coordination of the oropharyngeal muscles, cranial nerves, cerebral cortex, medulla oblongata and the muscles of respiration9,10. Swallowing is a synergistic process, requiring the precise timing of biomechanical movements as food or fluid transfer from the oral cavity through the pharynx to the oesophagus11,12.

In addition to its recorded activity during swallow, inferior constrictor muscle activity has been shown to be active during the expiratory phase of respiration in the cat.28 The sternothyroid and omohyoid muscles also demonstrate a dual respiratory and swallowing role. They are important for returning the larynx to rest following hyolaryngeal excursion, and also serve to stabilize the larynx during quiet inspiration.29, 30 The omohyoid muscle also prevents collapse of the lung apices and vessels during deep inspiration.

This means that it is briefly ... known as deglutition apnea. ... The hyoid is elevated by digastric (V & VII) and stylohyoid (VII), lifting the pharynx and larynx up even further. ... The bolus moves down towards the esophagus by pharyngeal peristalsis which takes place by sequential contraction of the superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles (pharyngeal ...