ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the basic neuroanatomy and anatomy of swallowing. The cranial nerves, seven of which are vital in controlling swallowing, provide both a motor function and sensory information. While they are crucial to the swallowing process, clinicians may experience difficulty in retaining details of their innervations and function. The swallowing process consists of four stages: the oral preparatory, oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal. The basic life functions of breathing and swallowing rely on two parallel tubes, which occur in close proximity in the human throat: the trachea for respiration, and the pharynx and oesophagus for deglutition. Normal healthy adults are able to swallow a large bolus, even when it may be difficult to contain it in the oral cavity when chewing, as it may be swallowed in a piecemeal fashion. Eating and drinking are highly important to most normal healthy adults. Consider how often meals or drinks take place in a social setting.
