Spontaneous swallowing rate and emotional state

Excessive spontaneous swallowing has been associated with a variety of common gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, heartburn, and bloating and may contribute to disorders such as hiatus hernia, duodenal ulcer, and irritable bowel syndrome. The present study investigated the hypothesis that changes in emotional state alter spontaneous swallowing rate. Subjects were 38 generally healthy undergraduates assigned to either a pleasant...