EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The glossopharyngeal nerve is the ninth set of 12 cranial nerves (CN IX). It provides motor, parasympathetic and sensory information to your mouth and throat. Among its many functions, the nerve helps raise part of your throat, enabling swallowing.

Detailed explanation-2: -As stated above, the glossopharyngeal nerve provides motor innervation to the stylopharyngeus muscle, which is responsible for elevating the pharynx and larynx.

Detailed explanation-3: -The vagal nerve (VN), the tenth cranial nerve, provides both motor and sensory innervation, and plays an important role in the pharyngeal phase of swallowing [4, 6].

Detailed explanation-4: -The glossopharyngeal and vagus cranial nerves provide the brainstem with sensory inputs from different receptors in the heart, lung, and vasculature. This afferent information is critical for the short-term regulation of arterial blood pressure and the buffering of emotional and physical stressors.

Detailed explanation-5: -Organ Systems Involved The process of swallowing involves dozens of muscles from the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.