Causes and Risk Factors. Diffuse esophageal spasms can be caused by disruptions or damage to the nerves that coordinate the muscles of the esophagus. In some cases, this condition can lead to. achalasia.he esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. During swallowing, it contracts in a coordinated way to move food or liquid to the stomach. Diffuse esophageal spasm causes the esophagus to contract in an uncoordinated way. As a result, what is swallowed is not pushed down into the stomach.
Other neurons heavily involved in controlling sleep and wakefulness belong to the in the brainstem. By diffusing their neuromodulating substances throughout wide areas of the brain, the neurons in these systems act as switches that adjust the cortexâs sensitivity to sensory information.
launch interactive. During REM sleep (the stage of sleep most associated with dreaming) there is an increase in the firing rate of most neurons throughout the brain, as compared to non-REM sleep. In fact, the brain in REM sleep can even be more active than when we are awake. Patterns of brain activity during REM sleep are more random and variable, similar to during wakefulness. This pattern of brain activity during REM sleep probably underlies the intense dreaming that occurs during this state.