Lecture 26 - Specfic Motility Patterns Flashcards
What is the function of Chewing / Mastication?
- mechanical digestion - ingestion
- mixing food with saliva - tasting
- stimulus for cephalic phase
What is the control of Chewing / Mastication?
Voluntary - skeletal muscle
Involuntary reflex - brainstem
- initiation – bolus in mouth
- stimulation of taste centres – rhythm
- strength – consistency of bolus
What is swallowing?
Rapid transfer of food from mouth to stomach
Complex
- Converts mouth and pharynx pathway from gas transfer function to food transfer function
- Prevention of reflux
What is the process of swallowing?
Oral events
Initiation of swallowing reflex
Cascade of sequential events in
- Pharynx
- Esophagous
- Stomach
What are the oral events of swallowing?
Initiation by Stretch Receptors
- Food forced into pharynx by tongue
- Stretch receptors
- Brain stem initiates swallowing
Soft Palate
- Soft palate pushes upward
- Prevents food from entering nasal passage
Epiglottis
- Moves down to cover the entrance to the trachea
- Prevents aspiration of food
What are the esophageal events of swallowing?
Upper Esophageal sphincter
- Relaxes (opens)
- Allows food to enter the esophagus
Lower Esophageal sphincter
- Opens (relaxes) at the start of swallowing
- Food enters stomach
- Closes after peristalsis wave
Esophagus (peristalsis)
- Smooth Muscle contracts
- Peristaltic wave pushes food to stomach
- Lasts about 9 seconds
What events are under voluntary control of swallowing?
Oral events are under voluntary control (we decide when to initiate a swallow)
What do voluntary events in the control of swallowing activate?
Voluntary events activate stretch receptors that activate an involuntary reflex.
- Swallowing centre in brainstem respond to stretch
What muscles are under involuntary control during the control of swallowing?
Pharyngeal muscles
- Striated muscle controlled directly by swallowing center
Oesophageal muscles
- Upper part is striated muscles controlled directly by swallowing center
- The Enteric nervous system which is modulated/co-ordinated by the swallowing center
What does the arrival of food in esophagus initiate?
Initiates a primary peristaltic wave
- Sweeps food down esophagus towards stomach
If food not cleared from esophagus by primary peristaltic wave a Secondary peristaltic wave is initiated
- Repeated until food cleared
Stretch reflux - single is around 9 seconds, can happen again
What events occur at the same time as the initiation of
swallowing?
Some events occur at the same time as the initiation of swallowing
Relaxation of upper and lower esophageal sphincters
- Allows passage of food
Relaxation of proximal stomach
- Receptive relaxation to reduce stomach pressure below esophageal pressure
What does peristalsis in the esophagus occur as?
Peristalsis in the esophagus occurs as a wave from proximal to distal.
What is the change in layout of muscle during oesophageal events in swallowing?
Striated muscle -controlled directly by swallowing center
Transition Zone
Smooth muscle- controlled indirectly (i.e. the enteric NS modulated by swallowing center)
What does the peristaltic wave do in swallowing?
Sweeps food down esophagus towards stomach
What does Relaxation of LES do in swallowing?
Allows passage of food
What is LES?
Lower esophageal sphincter
What does Receptive relaxation (Gastric
Motility) do in swallowing?
Reduction of gastric tone with swallowing. Reduces pressure below esophageal pressure.
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
What happens during Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?
Reflux of acidic chyme into esophagus
Irritation to esophageal mucosa – “heartburn” is
a symptom
What are causes of GERD?
- Abnormal relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter (drops below stomach pressure)
- Lack of Receptive Relaxation or gastric accommodation in the stomach
- Conditions that increase gastric pressure
- Excessive gastric secretion
- Infection with H. pylori
What is the treatment of GERD?
- Antacids (neutralize gastric HCl)
- Antihistamines & proton pump inhibitors (stop HCl production)
- Lifestyle modifications (E.g. diet)
- Surgery (depends on cause)
What parts of GI tract have anti-reflux roles?
Upper and lower esophageal sphincters
Stomach
Describe the anti-reflux role of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter
Additional barrier to reflux
- Prevents air entering esophagus
Describe the anti-reflux role of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter
- Zone of high pressure
- 12-30 mmHg greater than gastric pressure
- Responds to changes in gastric pressure
- Acts with other structures e.g. diaphragm and lower esophageal sphincter. (Esophageal/Gastric junction: EGJ)
Describe the anti-reflux role of the Stomach
Storage functions maintain pressure as volume increases
- Receptive relaxation
- Gastric accommodation
Which of the following statements about the process of swallowing is CORRECT?
A. The stomach contracts during the pharyngeal stage of swallowing.
B. The lower esophageal sphincter muscles relax between swallows.
C. Gastric reflux is a normal event during swallowing.
D. Both upper esophageal sphincter and lower esophageal sphincter muscles relax during swallowing.
D. Both upper esophageal sphincter and lower esophageal sphincter muscles relax during swallowing.
A - Relaxes
B - Contracts
C - Not normal
What are the three types of gastric motility?
Storage
Retropulsion
Controlled delivery to the duodenum
What is the function of storage in gastric motility?
Allowing food entry during swallowing
Accommodating increased volume during a meal
What is the function of retropulsion in gastric motility?
Combines peristaltic contraction (pushes food forward) and pyloric sphincter contraction (pushes food back)
Mixing function
What is the function of controlled delivery to the duodenum in gastric motility?
Changing contraction/ relaxation of the pyloric sphincter
Initially closed – allows mixing to occur
Short periods of opening – allows the entry of food to match capacity (volume and secretion rate)
What are the functional sections of the stomach?
Proximal stomach
Transitional area
Distal stomach
What structure is found in the proximal stomach and what is its function?
Fundus
Site of storage
What structure is found in the transitional area of stomach and what is its function?
Body
Some storage
Some movement
What structure is found in the distal stomach and what is its function?
Pylorus / antrum
Movement
Mechanical breakdown
Controlled release to duodenum