ABSTRACT
Swallowing is a complex neuromuscular process that depends on intact motor and sensory innervation. The oropharyngeal phase of swallowing is under voluntary control, but once the bolus is moved into the pharynx, the process becomes involuntary, with the initiation of an integrated pattern of esophageal motor activity. Difficulty swallowing (“dysphagia”) can occur with uncoordinated or failed peristalsis.
