When the peripheral end of the decentralized vagus nerve is electrically stimulated (VS), all segments of the esophagus contract simultaneously.

Upon swallowing (stimulus), the inhibitory pathway neurons in the caudal DMN (cDMN) are activated first, which causes simultaneous inhibition of all parts of the esophagus. This inhibition lasts ...

CERTAIN lesions of the esophagus, whether localized like a web or more diffuse like scleroderma, may impair esophageal distensibility without narrowing the width of the esophageal lumen as it is ...