Question:easy
The cephalic phase of gastric secretion occurs?
The cephalic phase of gastric secretion occurs?
Show Hint
Cephalic means head; this vagal phase fires on sight, smell, and thought of food.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- On food entering the stomach
- On food entering the intestine
- On seeing food
- On stress
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: The word cephalic comes from cephalo meaning head, which is the clue. The cephalic phase is the head-driven, reflex part of gastric secretion that fires before any food touches the stomach.
Step 2: Triggers are the sight, smell, thought, and taste of food. These signals travel through the central nervous system and the vagus nerve to the stomach, prompting acid, pepsinogen, and gastrin release. So seeing food, option (c), starts this phase.
Step 3: Map the distractors to the other two phases. Food arriving in the stomach starts the gastric phase via distension and peptides. Chyme moving into the duodenum starts the intestinal phase. Stress is not a recognised secretory phase.
Step 4: Only the sight of food correctly defines the cephalic phase.
\[\boxed{\text{On seeing food}}\]
Step 2: Triggers are the sight, smell, thought, and taste of food. These signals travel through the central nervous system and the vagus nerve to the stomach, prompting acid, pepsinogen, and gastrin release. So seeing food, option (c), starts this phase.
Step 3: Map the distractors to the other two phases. Food arriving in the stomach starts the gastric phase via distension and peptides. Chyme moving into the duodenum starts the intestinal phase. Stress is not a recognised secretory phase.
Step 4: Only the sight of food correctly defines the cephalic phase.
\[\boxed{\text{On seeing food}}\]
Was this answer helpful?
0
