A person who has difficulty swallowing is diagnosed as having esophageal achalasia, a condition that involves the ANS. What division and action would you expect to be the cause of this problem
A)parasympathetic, which causes excessive and irregular esophageal contraction
B)sympathetic, which causes too-rapid peristaltic movement of the esophagus
C)a defect in the sympathetic swallowing center that coordinates esophageal contraction
D)defects in both sympathetic and parasympathetic responses, causing esophageal spasms
E)None of the answers are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Esophageal achalasia is characterized by a dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter which fails to relax during swallowing, leading to difficulty in food passage. The parasympathetic division stimulates the smooth muscle of the esophagus and, in this condition, it can cause excessive or irregular contraction, resulting in achalasia.

A Person Who Has Difficulty Swallowing Is Diagnosed as Having