Mastication (Chewing)

Chewing is the first mechanical process in the GI tract in which

food is broken down into small particles and a soft bolus is formed.

Importance of Chewing
3. Food is broken into small particles required for enzyme
actions.
4. Mixing with saliva so that bolus can be swallowed
easily
6. Grinding the food to a very fine particles prevents
injury to the GIT
Muscles of Mastication:
1.Masseter 2. Temporal 3. Pterygoids 4. Buccinator.
Movements associated with Mastication:
11.Opening & closure of mouth

Control Of mastication
.1. The centre for mastication is located in medulla & cerebral
cortex.
2. The muscles of mastication are suplied by mandibular division of

V cranial nerve

(V cranial
Nerve)

Swallowing (Deglutition)
Swelling can be divided into
(2)Oral Stage : a voluntary stage, in which
food enetrs pharynx frommouth.
(3)Pharyngeal stage- an involuntary stage
in which food is enters esopahgus from
the pharynx.
(4)Esophageal stage-involuntary phase in
which food enters stomach from the
esophagus.

1. Oral Stage of
Deglution
1. Voluntary Stage in which after the Food is
rolled into a bolus by chewing following
actions occur:
2. The bolus is placed on poster-odorsal part of
tongue
3. The anterior part of tongue is retracted &
depressed
4. The posterior part of tongue is elevated and
pressed against hard palate. This pushes the
bolus backward into pharynx.
5. With forceful contractions of tongue, the

2. Pharyngeal Stage of Swallowing

It is an Involuntary stage
The pharynx is a common passage for food and air. It has two
exits one into esophagus for food the other into larynx for air.
The Larynx lies anterior to esophagus opening. Esophagus
opening lies posterior to larynx opening. Further, pharynx is also
connected to naso-pharynx behind nose . So food in pharynx can
go to esopahagus or larynx or nose or back to mouth.
It is ensured that the food enters only esophagus as under:
d. Return of food back into mouth is prevented by tongue
being pressed against the palate creating high pressure in oral
cavity
e. Entry of food into naso-phayrynx is prevented by elevation
of soft palate & uvula.
f.

Entry of food intolLungs through larynx is prevented by

Vocal cords of two side come very near each

Larynx move forward & upward

Epiglottis cover the larynx opening glotiis.

10 Temporary arrest of breathing during this stage of deglutition

d. Entry of food into esophagus: Now the other 3

passages as mentioned above are closed so food
can enter only esopahagus by following
mechanism:
2 When larynx moves upward it opens the esophagus
opening wider.
3 The upper 3-4 cm of esophagus called UES (Upper
Esophageal Sphincter) relaxes
4 Contraction of pharyngeal muscles forces food into
esopahgus.

3. Esophageal Stage of Swallowing. It is also involuntary.

When bolus reaches the esophagus peristaltic movements
starts in esophagus to propel food down into stomach.
Two types of peristaltic movements: primary peristalsis and
secondary peristalsis.
Primary peristalsisis continuation of the peristaltic wave that
begins in the pharynx & passes all the way from the pharynx
to the stomach in about 8 to 10 seconds.
Secondary Peristalsis : It remove any retained food particles
from esophagus if primary peristalsis fails to remove them and
send to stomach.
Role of LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter)
6. When a peristaltic wave passes down the esophagus, there
is "receptive relaxation" of the lower esophageal sphincter
ahead of the peristaltic wave, which allows easy propulsion
of the swallowed food into the stomach.
7. After entry of food into stomach, LES contracts to not allow
reflux of acid of stomach into esophagus. However, . If the

Deglutition Reflex
Ist stage of deglutition is Voluntary while 2nd & 3rd Stages
of Deglutitin are Involuntary and through deglutition
reflex mechanism.
Stimulus: The sensory receptors in oro-phayrynx specially
area in a ring around the pharyngeal opening, with
greatest sensitivity on the tonsillar pillars gets
stimuted when food reaches here.
Afferent Fibres: impulses from pharyngeal receptors pass
through glasso-pharyngeal nerve (IX cranial nerve) to
deglutititon or swallowing centre in medulla (see nxt slide
for photo).
Deglutition Centre: it is located in floor of 4th Ventricle in
Medulla oblongata of brain.
Efferent Fibres: Impulses from deglutition centre travel
through glasso-pharyngeal nerve (IX cranial nerve) & vagus
nerve (X cranial nerve) & reach soft palate, palate, pharynx,
& esophagus.

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

1. Dysphagia: it is difficulty in swallowing.

Causes:
c. Mechanical obstruction in esophagus
tumor, stricture, diverticula
d. Decresaed movements of esophagus eg
in parkinsonism a neurological disorder.
e. Muscle dosrders with theresult dificult
swallowing during oral & esophgeal
stages.

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

2. Achalasia: When Lower esophageal

sphincter fails to relax during swallowing
the food accumulates in esophagus causing
its distention and symptoms as under:
b. Dysphagia
c. Chest pain
d. Weight loss
e. Cough

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

3. GERD (gastro esophageal reflux

disease)
Due to weakness or failure of Lower
Esophageal Sphincter to constrict causing
reflux of acid contents of stomach into
lower end of esophagus causing reflux
esophagitis with symptoms:
c. Heart burn
d. Esophagitis
e. Dysphagia
f. Cough

MOVEMENTS OF STOMACH
1. HUNGER CONTRACTIONS
2. RECEPTIVE RELAXATION
3. Peristalsis of Stomach: FILLING &
EMPTYING
1. HUNGER CONTRACTIONS:
When the person is empty stomach hunger
contractions occurs. They are peristaltic waves
superimposed upon normal smooth muscle
contractions.
The peristaltic waves of normal stomach when
food is there occur in body & pyloric part of
stomach whereas the hunger contraction occurs

Type of HUNGER CONTRACTIONS

Type I:
They are the first contractions in empty stomach when stomach tone is
low.
Their duration is 20 seconds & occur every 3-4 seconds.
they produce a pressure of 5 cm of water &
Stomach tone is normal in between the contractions.
Type II:
They appear when tone of stomach is stronger and if the food intake is
postpones even on start of Type I Hunger Contractions.
Their duration of each contraction is 20 seconds like in type I but there is
no pause between the contractions so the
Pressure produced in stomach is 10-15 cm of water.
Type III:
Occur when food is not taken despite type II contractions,
It is incomplete tetanus and tone of stomach muscle increases much
more.

APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

2. RECEPTIVE RELAXATION OF
STOMACH:
Relaxation of upper part of stomach
when bolus of food enters the
stomach from esophagus is called
RECEPTIVE RELAXATION, It occurs in
fundus, and upper part of body of
stomach to receive & accommodate
food without increase in pressure of
stomach so no discomfort to person.

Peristalsis of Stomach

1. When food enters stomach-smooth

muscle of stomach start contracting @
3/min. The contractions start in lower part
of body of stomach & pas to the pyloric
sphincter. The contractions move towards
pyloric sphincter and takes 1 min to reach
at pyloric sphincter from point of origin in
body of stomach. They are called
digestive peristalsis because with tight
pyloric end food is crushed by them in
stomach and grinded for better action of
juices & enzymes.