VAGUS NERVE Definition & Meaning

vagus nerve

noun

Anatomy.

plural vagus nerves.

either one of the tenth pair of cranial nerves, consisting of motor fibers that innervate the muscles of the pharynx, larynx, heart, and thoracic and abdominal viscera, and of sensory fibers that conduct impulses from these structures to the brain.

vagus nerve

/ ��′��ə�� /

Either of the tenth pair of cranial nerves that carries motor impulses from the brain to many major organs. The vagus nerve controls the muscles of the larynx (voice box), stimulates digestion, and regulates the heartbeat.

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of vagus nerve¹

First recorded in 1830–40

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Example Sentences

In some people who develop a chronic gut infection from the virus, the pathogen may travel to the brain via the vagus nerve which connects the gut and brain.

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Published in Science Translational Medicine, the study showed that vagus nerve stimulation in stressed mice with colitis, a form of IBD, reduced inflammation, improved symptoms, and boosted survival rates.

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Previous vagus nerve stimulation research in humans suggests the findings go beyond mice.

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Existing devices are effective, but lack the necessary precision needed for some applications, such as cochlear implants or vagus nerve stimulators.

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But for many, the sympathetic nervous system is out of balance with the parasympathetic nervous system, which, along with the vagus nerve, works to calm the body.

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