Figure 9 - Possible mechanisms of the swallowing pattern generation.


From the following article

Electrophysiologic characterization of the swallowing pattern generator in the brainstem

André Jean and Michel Dallaporta

GI Motility online (2006)

doi:10.1038/gimo9

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a: The swallowing network can be viewed as a chain of neurons with excitatory (black triangles) and inhibitory (black dots) connections, and sensory feedback (broken lines). The excitatory inputs are less powerful along the chain, in contrast to the inhibitory influences, resulting in long periods of inhibition of neurons controlling more distal parts of the tract. b: The central pattern generator may be subdivided in an oropharyngeal and an esophageal network. The esophageal net is first inhibited by the oropharyngeal net (black dot). This primary inhibition is followed by an excitatory action (black triangle), rendering possible the successive activation of esophageal neurons. c: Inhibitory-excitatory sequences during swallowing. Field potential recorded at the esophageal site within the sheep NTS (1). SLN stimulation induced a single swallowing, producing a biphasic wave potential. Intracellular recording of an esophageal motoneuron within the nucleus ambiguus during swallowing (2). Note that the burst firing of the neuron occurred after a hyperpolarization of the membrane potential, indicating that the neuron has undergone inhibition during the oropharyngeal stage. (Source: Adapted from Jean3 and Zoungrana et al.50, with permission from American Physiological Society)

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