Figure 10 - Responses of a distention-responsive upper cervical (C2) spinal neuron having convergent inputs from the cervical and thoracic esophagus.

a,b: The intensity-dependent increase in responses to distention of cervical and thoracic esophagus, respectively, in the intact condition. c,d: The responses after ipsilateral (i.e., on the recording site) cervical vagotomy. There is reduction in response to thoracic distention after ipsilateral vagotomy (c). e,f: The responses following bilateral vagotomy. There is a significant reduction in response to thoracic distention compared to cervical distention after bilateral vagotomy. g,h: The neuron stopped responding to both cervical and thoracic distention after spinal transection at C6 level. (Source: Qin et al.,¹⁰¹ with permission from the American Physiological Society.)