ANATOMY

GENERAL ANATOMY

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
What are the rhythmic muscular contractions of your esophagus called to help food move along?
A
swallowing
B
peristalsis
C
inertia contractions
D
paralysis
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Peristalsis is a series of wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract. It starts in the esophagus where strong wave-like motions of the smooth muscle move balls of swallowed food to the stomach.

Detailed explanation-2: -The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) stimulates peristalsis via the myenteric plexus. The afferent (sensory) nerves of the myenteric plexus deliver information to interneurons within the plexus. Interneurons communicate with efferent nerves, stimulating an action potential (spike-wave) within smooth muscle cells.

Detailed explanation-3: -As a result, peristalsis is a natural and essential mechanism for moving food through the digestive tract. The contractions take the shape of rising wavelike contractions in the oesophagus, intestines, and stomach. It’s the mechanism that transports food and fluids through the digestive system.

Detailed explanation-4: -The rhythmic expansion and contraction of the heart is called Cardiac cycle. The cardiac cycle is the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the heart. Contraction is called cardiac systole and relaxation is called cardiac diastole.

Detailed explanation-5: -The movements that propel the food particles through the digestive tract are called peristalsis. These are rhythmic waves of contractions that move the food particles through the various regions in which mechanical and chemical digestion takes place.

There is 1 question to complete.