biology question #1642

JR, a 21 year old male from Houston asks on October 20, 2003,

Q:

Does your gag reflex trigger the epiglottis to open or close?

viewed 12290 times

the answer

Barry Shell answered on November 4, 2003, A:

Apparently these two actions are not related. Different nerves control the gag reflex and the swallow, or the epiglottis. You can find out more at Neuroscience on the Web.

Add to or comment on this answer using the form below.
(required)
(required if you would like a response)
Note: All submissions are moderated prior to posting.
If you found this answer useful, please consider
making a small donation to science.ca.