Question

What brain areas are associated with swallowing, and if damaged, can result in swallowing difficulty?

Answer 1

Difficulty in swallowing can be found in a patient with damaged cranial nerve IX or glossopharyngeal nerve. The nerve is located in brain stem near the other cranial nerve. Glossopharyngeal nerve has a role in the sensory and motoric of the pharynx and tongue/glosus. Other cranial nerves like nervus V(trigeminal), X(vagus) and XII(hypoglossal) also have a few role in pharyngeal phase of swallowing.