Oesophageal and diaphragmatic activity during sucking in lambs

1. Buccal, pharyngeal, oesophageal and diaphragmatic movements during swallowing of saliva and sucking from a bottle were studied in lambs by recording electromyograms (e.m.g.s) from the mylohyoid, thyrohyoid and thyroarytenoid muscles, cervical and caudal thoracic oesophagus and vertebral and costal regions of the diaphragm. Buccal and pleural pressure recordings were also made.2. Swallows of saliva characteristically involved contraction of the mylohyoid followed sequentially by contraction of the thyrohyoid, cervical, and finally, caudal thoracic oesophagus.3. Sucking (indicated by the mylohyoid e.m.g.s and buccal pressure) was initially at rates up to 6 sec(-1), sustained at up to 4 sec(-1) for 30-45 sec and, once established, accompanied by swallows in a 1:1 association with sucking.4. Respiration ceased during the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. At the time the primary contraction (of swallowing) involved the caudal thoracic oesophagus vertebral fibres of the diaphragm forming the hiatus oesophageus became quiescent, although costal fibres continued to contribute to inspiration.5. During sucking, respiration was shallow and rapid, with diaphragm contractions sandwiched between swallows.6. Towards the end of an episode of sucking, contractions of the diaphragm became more intense and occurred in groups with pressure changes corresponding to both individual contractions and the grouped activity.7. Primary oesophageal contractions occurred only after single swallows or at the end of a series of swallows.8. During periods when sucking and swallowing were frequent, short episodes of oesophageal contraction occurred, each being between thyrohyoid contractions.9. Recording from contiguous sites of the caudal thoracic oesophagus confirmed a caudally progressive character of those short contractions of the oesophagus observed during sucking.10. Factors contributing to these changes in oesophageal activity and consequences of altered diaphragmatic activity in sucking have been discussed.