Reflex influences on oropharyngeal swallowing

Abstract

Swallowing is a complex sensorimotor behaviour involving the coordinated and reflex contraction and inhibition of the musculature located in and around the mouth, larynx, pharynx and esophagus. Voluntary swallowing is under the the control of the cerebral cortex and other subcortical structures, but the main locations are the nucleus tractus solitarius and nucleus ambiguus, and their neural network of central pattern generator. In spite of these central controls, there are some intrinsic reflex actions between three phases of swallowing. These kind of reflexes were emphasized in this review.Keywords: central pattern generator; larynx; pharynx; protective reflexes; swallowing Anatomy 2015;9(2):81-85