Student demonstration of relationship between intestinal slow waves and phasic contractions

The rate of intestinal phasic contractions is determined by the frequency of the slow wave or basic electrical rhythm, an alternating depolarization and hypopolarization (i.e., oscillation) of the membrane potential of smooth muscle cells, but students frequently confuse the frequency of the slow wave and the frequency of phasic contractions. LePard discusses a student demonstration that has been used for pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and medical students with positive comments on evaluation. The humor that accompanies the demonstration often assists students in remembering the information during examination.