Final answer:
The cephalic phase prepares the stomach for digestion by stimulating the release of gastric juices in response to the sight, smell, or thought of food. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goal of the cephalic phase of gastric regulation is to stimulate the release of gastric juices in the stomach. This phase begins even before food enters the mouth and is initiated by the neural response to the stimulus provided by food, which includes sight, sense, and smell.
Such stimuli trigger the central nervous system to prepare the stomach for digestion by increasing salivation and the secretion of gastric juices, a response that can even occur at the thought of food. The cephalic phase is a crucial part of the digestive process, as it gets the stomach ready to digest the food that will soon be ingested.