The mouth is the beginning of the digestive system. It is here that the first stages of food breakdown begin. When food enters the mouth, saliva, a fluid containing the digestive enzyme ptyalin and mucus, is secreted by the salivary glands. Saliva not only lubricates the food and begins its chemical digestion, but it also helps to keep the mouth cavity moist and clean. The teeth function mechanically to break up the food into smaller, more readily swallowed and digestible pieces. The tongue and the muscular walls of the mouth shape the food into a moist ball, the bolus, which is pushed to the back of the mouth and into the pharynx to be swallowed.
Senin, 08 Desember 2008
Jumat, 05 Desember 2008
Senin, 01 Desember 2008
Scans Show Sound-Processing Deficits in Autistic Kids
(HealthDay News) -- Children with autism spectrum disorder process sounds a fraction of a second slower than other children, an abnormality that offers insight into listening and language issues linked to the condition, a new study says.
Researchers used magnetoencephalography (MEG), which records minute magnetic fields associated with electrical brain activity, to detect the slight delay in autistic children who were exposed to beeps, tones in pairs, vowels and sentences at different speeds, tones and frequencies.
The findings were expected to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), in Chicago.
"This delay in processing certain types and streams of sound may underpin the subsequent language processing and communication impairment seen in autistic children," researcher Timothy Roberts, vice chair of research in the department of radiology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said in a news release issued by the RSNA.
This signature of autism found in brain activity may eventually become a biomarker to improve classification of the disorder and aid in treatment and therapy planning, he added.
"We hope that in the future, these signatures will also be revealed in the infant brain to help diagnose autism and allow earlier intervention," he said.
Autism inhibits the brain functions that govern the development of social and communication skills. About one in every 150 American children, mostly boys, is affected by the condition, according to the Autism Society of America.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about hearing problems in children.
Researchers used magnetoencephalography (MEG), which records minute magnetic fields associated with electrical brain activity, to detect the slight delay in autistic children who were exposed to beeps, tones in pairs, vowels and sentences at different speeds, tones and frequencies.
The findings were expected to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), in Chicago.
"This delay in processing certain types and streams of sound may underpin the subsequent language processing and communication impairment seen in autistic children," researcher Timothy Roberts, vice chair of research in the department of radiology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said in a news release issued by the RSNA.
This signature of autism found in brain activity may eventually become a biomarker to improve classification of the disorder and aid in treatment and therapy planning, he added.
"We hope that in the future, these signatures will also be revealed in the infant brain to help diagnose autism and allow earlier intervention," he said.
Autism inhibits the brain functions that govern the development of social and communication skills. About one in every 150 American children, mostly boys, is affected by the condition, according to the Autism Society of America.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about hearing problems in children.
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