Abstract
The relationship between gag reflex and motion sickness was studied based on questionnaires to 211 subjects who presented complaining of either discomfort or pain in the pharynx and oral cavity but who were all almost normal in physical examination. The patients were classified according to the reaction of the gag reflex based on the indirect laryngoscopy findings into the following three groups: group 1, in which the subjects had a gag reflex without the pharynx being touched with a mirror of a laryngoscope; group 2, in which they demonstrated a reflex after being touched by the mirror, and group 3, which demonstrated a silightly different reflex. The incidence of motion sickness was 44%, 41%a nd 10% in males, 87%, 63% and 41% in females in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. These findings thus suggested that persons with a sensitive gag reflex might therefore demonstrate an increased susceptibility to motion sickness.
