Key Difference – Peristalsis vs Antiperistalsis
The key difference between peristalsis and antiperistalsis is the direction of food movements. Peristalsis pushes downwards while antiperistalsis, which is reverse, pushes upwards. Peristalsis is the normal movement while antiperistalsis is not.
Peristalsis is the wave-like movements of smooth muscles in the GI tract that pushes food bolus from the mouth through the whole GI tract. Wave-like movements occur due to alternate contraction and relaxation of muscles. Peristalsis is a normal process that pushes food bolus downwards from the mouth through the GI tract. Antiperistalsis is the reverse peristalsis that propels foods from stomach to mouth in an upward direction. This is not a normal process.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Peristalsis
3. What is Antiperistalsis
4. Similarities Between Peristalsis and Antiperistalsis
5. Side by Side Comparison – Peristalsis vs Antiperistalsis in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Peristalsis?
Peristalsis is the wave-like movements that occur due to alternate contraction and relaxation of circular and longitudinal muscles in the GI tracts. These movements propel food bolus from the mouth through the GI tract downwards. Peristalsis is predominantly seen in the oesophagus, and it also occurs in the whole GI tract.
Figure 01: Peristalsis
Peristalsis is an involuntary action. It is a normal process that helps to break, move and to mix of foods for easy digestion. Peristalsis movements are regulated by hormones, the composition of the food and the filled stomach.
What is Antiperistalsis?
Antiperistalsis is the reverse peristalsis. And it is not a normal process. Antiperistalsis occurs due to the upward wave-like movements of smooth muscles in the GI tract. Antiperistalsis forces food backwards from stomach or intestine to mouth through oesophagus.
Figure 02: Antiperistalsis
Vomiting is a result of antiperistalsis that pushes food from the stomach to mouth due to metabolic disorders or due to various types of diseases.
What are the Similarities Between Peristalsis and Antiperistalsis?
- Both peristalsis and antiperistalsis are movements that propel food into the GI tract.
- Both occur due to alternate contraction and relaxation of smooth muscles of the GI tract.
- Both push food in one direction.
- Both peristalsis and antiperistalsis occur due to wave like movements of smooth muscles of the GI tract.
What is the Difference Between Peristalsis and Antiperistalsis?
Peristalsis vs Antiperistalsis |
|
| Peristalsis is the downward wave-like movements of smooth muscles of the GI tracts that propels food bolus from mouth to GI tract. | Antiperistalsis is the upward or backward wave-like movements of smooth muscle that propels food from stomach to mouth against the normal process. |
| Pathway | |
| Peristalsis occurs from mouth to oesophagus to stomach to the intestine. | Antiperistalsis occurs from stomach to mouth. |
| Direction | |
| Peristalsis occurs in the downward direction. | Antiperistalsis occurs in the upward or backward directions. |
| Process | |
| Peristalsis is a normal process. | Antiperistalsis is a reverse of the normal process. |
| Direction of the Wave-like Movements | |
| Peristalsis occurs due to downward waves. | Antiperistalsis occurs due to upward waves. |
| Reasons | |
| Peristalsis occurs as an involuntary action for the effective digestion of ingested food. | Antiperistalsis occurs due to undigested foods, vomiting due to metabolic disorders, etc. |
Summary – Peristalsis vs Antiperistalsis
Peristalsis and antiperistalsis are two processes that occur due to the wave of movements of smooth muscles in the GI tract. Peristalsis forces food from the mouth through the GI tract as a result of downward movements while antiperistalsis forces foods from stomach to mouth backwards or upward against the normal process due to upward wave-like movements. This is the difference between peristalsis and antiperistalsis.
Image Courtesy:
1.’2404 PeristalsisN’By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site. Jun 19, 2013., (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.’Symptoms-vomiting’By CDC , (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia