Vagus nerve
The vagus nerve is the main nerve
of our parasympathetic nervous system. Its name, derived from the Latin word
for "wandering," perfectly captures its expansive reach. As the
longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system, it meanders from the brain stem
all the way down to the colon, playing a pivotal role in regulating both our
sensory and motor systems.
This nerve is like the conductor
of an orchestra, directing the symphony of muscles in our body. It sets the
rhythm for our heart, orchestrates the movements of our mouth and throat, and
choreographs the involuntary dance that propels food through our digestive
tract.
If you picture the information
moving in the body as a network, about 80% of it moves up from the body to the
brain, and only about 20% of the traffic moves from the brain to the body. That
is a lot of traffic, and the vagus nerve handles the majority of it!
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE VAGUS NERVE:
Carrying Crucial Information
The vagus nerve communicates
information to the brain from vital organs, such as the liver, heart, and
lungs. The messages are critical to the everyday functions of the body, such as
increasing and decreasing heart rate, stimulating the production of bile and
digestive enzymes, and triggering the release of hormones that regulate moods,
like oxytocin and serotonin.
These hormones are of primary
importance in mood regulation and feelings of wellbeing. We are therefore
increasingly aware that the vagus nerve and the gut can play a significant role
in mood disorders. The vagus nerve is also involved in the process of retaining
memories.
In a study published in the
Journal of Translational Medicine, scientists found rats’ ability to retain
spatial and fear-based memories (created to protect them from previous negative
outcomes) was strengthened with the electrical stimulation of their vagus
nerve.
Digestion
There is a myriad of muscle
movements that facilitate the functions within our body, and the messages
triggering them originate from our brain and travel down the vagus nerve.
Peristalsis is the movement
within our digestive tract that pushes consumed food to our colon. Any
inhibition of peristalsis can result in slower transit time and constipation.
The vagal efferents (messages
from our brain to our gut that travel along the vagus nerve), together with
hormones such as peptide cholecystokinin, ghrelin, and leptin determine the
rate of absorption, storage, and utilization of nutrients. It is therefore a
crucial regulator of appetite and also how much of the healthy food we eat
actually benefits us.
Immune System
The vagus nerve modulates the
immune response and sends anti-inflammatory signals to other parts of the body
through three pathways, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA
Axis), which determines the body’s response to stress; the vago-splenic
pathway, hich stimulates the release of noradrenaline and acetylcholine; and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway,
which prompts the release of acetylcholine to inhibit inflammatory molecules.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR VAGUS NERVE IS DAMAGED?
There are three main causes of
vagus nerve dysfunction: infection, inflammation, and stress, which could be
physical or psychological. These can lead to inflammation or pinching of your
vagus nerve. s there is a wide-ranging array of symptoms that can hint at that amage,
it is important to keep them in mind for accurate testing and diagnosis.
-Absent gag reflex
-Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
-Loss or change of voice
-Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing
and eating)
-Earache
-Low heart rate or fainting
-Low stomach acid production
-Bloating
-Nausea and vomiting
-Heightened stress response
-Mood changes
VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION
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