Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Deglutition

Deglutition

Swallowing, otherwise known as deglutition, facilitates the transport of food from the mouth to the stomach. It is a multifaceted process that involves both the tongue and the muscles of the throat and esophagus. Saliva and mucus aid in this process, which takes approximately 4 to 8 seconds for semi-solid or solid food and around 1 second for liquids or very soft food.
Swallowing can be divided into three stages: the voluntary phase, the pharyngeal phase, and the esophageal phase. Although the...

Cranial Nerves: Types Part II

Cranial Nerves: Types Part II

Cranial nerves are responsible for transmitting motor and sensory information between the brain and various parts of the body. There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves. While the first six innervate the head and neck, the latter six nerves innervate the head and neck, as well as organs and tissues in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. They facilitate communication, expression, and autonomic control within the human body.
Facial Nerve (Cranial Nerve VII)
Cranial nerve VII, or the facial nerve,...

Muscles that Move the Head

Muscles that Move the Head

The muscles that move the head are a dynamic and complex group of structures that work together to facilitate a wide range of head movements, including rotation, flexion, extension, and lateral bending.
The bilateral sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, and the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles are significant head flexors. The SCM muscles originate at the sternum and clavicle and attach to the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The SCM contracts bilaterally to bend the head forward, whereas...

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

In addition to being held together by the intervertebral discs, adjacent vertebrae also articulate with each other at synovial joints formed between the superior and inferior articular processes called zygapophysial joints (facet joints). These are plane joints that provide for only limited motions between the vertebrae. The orientation of the articular processes at these joints varies in different regions of the vertebral column and serves to determine the types of motions available in each...

Upper GI Series: Barium Swallow

Upper GI Series: Barium Swallow

The Barium Swallow Study, or a Barium Esophagogram, is a diagnostic imaging method used to visualize the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. It employs barium sulfate, a radiopaque contrast material, to provide clear images of the upper digestive system, helping to identify abnormalities, diseases, or structural issues.
Purpose and Procedure
Patients undergoing this procedure ingest a liquid containing barium sulfate with a chalky...

Anatomical Movements

Anatomical Movements

Anatomical movements refer to the various actions or motions that can be performed by the body's joints and muscles. These movements are described using specific terms to provide a standardized way of discussing and understanding the range of motion at different joints.
Here are some common anatomical movements:
Flexion and extension motions are in the sagittal (anterior–posterior) plane of motion. These movements take place at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, wrist, metacarpophalangeal,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Usefulness of indigo carmine chromoendoscopy for detecting gastric cancer and gastric adenoma during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (INDIGO study): protocol for a prospective multicentre observational study.

BMJ open gastroenterology·2026

Same author

Utilization of Clinical Evaluation Reports in Japan's Medical Device Approvals: Insights from Review Data on Approved Devices.

Therapeutic innovation & regulatory science·2026

Same author

Isotopic and molecular evidence for contrasting fungal associations in two Epipogium orchids in cool-temperate Japan.

Mycorrhiza·2026

Same author

Prenatal sexual dimorphism in human pelvic tilt at the onset of fetal ossification.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026

Same author

Determinants of midgut loop formation: Influence of midgut length, diameter, and location.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026

Same author

Second-Look Arthroscopy Revealing Cartilage Coverage Following Arthroscopic Synovectomy in Severe Hemophilic Arthropathy of the Knee: A Case Report.

Clinical case reports·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing

Published on: December 1, 2023

Cervical spine motion during swallowing.

Kojiro Mekata¹, Tomoyuki Takigawa, Jun Matsubayashi

¹Department of Rehabilitation, Kobe Red Cross Hospital, 1-3-1 Wakinohamakaigandori, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo, 651-0073, Japan.

European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society

|September 3, 2013

Summary

The cervical spine undergoes specific movements during swallowing, with vertebrae C1-C3 flexing and C5-C6 extending to reduce lordosis. These findings detail cervical spine motion during deglutition.

More Related Videos

Coordinate Mapping of Hyolaryngeal Mechanics in Swallowing

Coordinate Mapping of Hyolaryngeal Mechanics in Swallowing

Published on: May 6, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing

Published on: December 1, 2023

Coordinate Mapping of Hyolaryngeal Mechanics in Swallowing

Coordinate Mapping of Hyolaryngeal Mechanics in Swallowing

Published on: May 6, 2014

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Anatomy
Physiology

Background:

The relationship between deglutition (swallowing) and the cervical spine is known.
Specific movements of the cervical spine during deglutition have not been previously quantified.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and clarify the movement patterns of the cervical spine during normal deglutition.

Main Methods:

Videofluorography was used to capture images of the oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing in 39 healthy adults.
An image analysis technique quantified angular and positional changes in the occiput (C0) and cervical vertebrae (C1-C7).

Main Results:

During the pharyngeal phase, C1, C2, and C3 showed significant flexion, while C5 and C6 exhibited significant extension compared to the oral phase.
Vertebrae C3-C6 moved posteriorly, and C1-C3 moved superiorly, with C5-C6 moving inferiorly. Significant angle changes were noted in C2 (flexion) and C5 (extension).

Conclusions:

The cervical spine exhibits dynamic movement during deglutition.
These movements contribute to the reduction of physiological lordosis in the cervical spine during the act of swallowing.