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home:social:the_vagus_nerve [09.28.2017] – [The vagus nerve] sallieq | home:social:the_vagus_nerve [09.14.2022] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 | ||
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====== The vagus nerve ====== | ====== The vagus nerve ====== | ||
- | This is a good overview: http:// | + | ===== Introduction ===== |
+ | This is a good overview: https:// | ||
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+ | Hopefully based on anatomy. | ||
+ | The vagus nerve travels nearer to the skin are various points along the way. | ||
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+ | Some doctors or bodywork practitioners have suggested the manual methods described above. | ||
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+ | A quote from another source: | ||
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+ | "The incoming signals lead to many reflex responses, mediated at cell stations in the brain stem, and entailing either autonomic or somatic motor responses. For example: irritants in the airways stimulate vagal sensory nerve endings and lead to a cough reflex; information on the state of inflation of the lungs causes modification of the breathing pattern; distension of the stomach leads to reflex relaxation of its wall. | ||
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+ | "The outgoing, motor fibres in the vagus nerves represent most of the cranial component of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Vagal stimulation slows the heart beat, and excessive stimulation can stop it entirely. When Otto Loewi first showed, in 1921, that stimulation of the vagus nerve to a frog heart caused something to be released that could slow down another heart that was linked to the first only by fluid perfusion, he called the unknown factor Vagusstoff. We know now that vagal nerve endings act on the heart' | ||
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+ | "The term ‘vaso-vagal’ attack refers to fainting, when — from a variety of causes ranging from emotional shock to the pain of injury — there is a strong parasympathetic outflow in the vagus nerves, causing slowing of the heart that leads to a fall in blood pressure sufficient to cause unconsciousness. | ||
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+ | So, you can actually stop your heart with excessive stimulation? | ||
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Different researchers have also identified that the vagus nerve controls glucose homeostasis, | Different researchers have also identified that the vagus nerve controls glucose homeostasis, | ||
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+ | The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve that runs from brainstem to abdomen and is responsible for communicating with our nervous system to turn on our bodies’ parasympathetic nervous system, or relaxation response. | ||
===== Stimulation of the vagus ===== | ===== Stimulation of the vagus ===== | ||
Patients lying in a vegetative state present severe impairments of consciousness [1] caused by lesions in the cortex, the brainstem, the thalamus and the white matter [2]. There is agreement that this condition may involve disconnections in long-range cortico–cortical and thalamo-cortical pathways [3]. Hence, in the vegetative state cortical activity is ‘deafferented’ from subcortical modulation and/or principally disrupted between fronto-parietal regions. Some patients in a vegetative state recover while others persistently remain in such a state. The neural signature of spontaneous recovery is linked to increased thalamo-cortical activity and improved fronto-parietal functional connectivity [3]. The likelihood of consciousness recovery depends on the extent of brain damage and patients’ etiology, but after one year of unresponsive behavior, chances become low [1]. There is thus a need to explore novel ways of repairing lost consciousness. Here we report beneficial effects of vagus nerve stimulation on consciousness level of a single patient in a vegetative state, including improved behavioral responsiveness and enhanced brain connectivity patterns. | Patients lying in a vegetative state present severe impairments of consciousness [1] caused by lesions in the cortex, the brainstem, the thalamus and the white matter [2]. There is agreement that this condition may involve disconnections in long-range cortico–cortical and thalamo-cortical pathways [3]. Hence, in the vegetative state cortical activity is ‘deafferented’ from subcortical modulation and/or principally disrupted between fronto-parietal regions. Some patients in a vegetative state recover while others persistently remain in such a state. The neural signature of spontaneous recovery is linked to increased thalamo-cortical activity and improved fronto-parietal functional connectivity [3]. The likelihood of consciousness recovery depends on the extent of brain damage and patients’ etiology, but after one year of unresponsive behavior, chances become low [1]. There is thus a need to explore novel ways of repairing lost consciousness. Here we report beneficial effects of vagus nerve stimulation on consciousness level of a single patient in a vegetative state, including improved behavioral responsiveness and enhanced brain connectivity patterns. | ||
- | in [[http:// | + | in [[https:// |
These findings show that stimulation of the vagus nerve promoted the spread of cortical signals and caused an increase of metabolic activity leading to behavioral improvement as measured with the CRS-R scale and as reported by clinicians and family members. Thus, potentiating vagus nerve inputs to the brain helps to restore consciousness even after many years of being in a vegetative state, thus challenging the belief that disorders of consciousness persisting after 12 months are irreversible [1]. The direct connection between the NTS where the vagus nerve originates and the thalamus may be at the origin of the significant increase in theta signal recorded at the cortical level. In particular, the parietal cortex appears to be a major player in guiding the expansion of neural activity across brain areas. The enhanced neural activity might also be mediated by neurotransmission changes given that vagus nerve projections target key regions important for the liberation of norepinephrine and serotonin [7]. Finally, since the vagus nerve has bidirectional control over the brain and the body, reactivation of sensory/ | These findings show that stimulation of the vagus nerve promoted the spread of cortical signals and caused an increase of metabolic activity leading to behavioral improvement as measured with the CRS-R scale and as reported by clinicians and family members. Thus, potentiating vagus nerve inputs to the brain helps to restore consciousness even after many years of being in a vegetative state, thus challenging the belief that disorders of consciousness persisting after 12 months are irreversible [1]. The direct connection between the NTS where the vagus nerve originates and the thalamus may be at the origin of the significant increase in theta signal recorded at the cortical level. In particular, the parietal cortex appears to be a major player in guiding the expansion of neural activity across brain areas. The enhanced neural activity might also be mediated by neurotransmission changes given that vagus nerve projections target key regions important for the liberation of norepinephrine and serotonin [7]. Finally, since the vagus nerve has bidirectional control over the brain and the body, reactivation of sensory/ | ||
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+ | There were other ideas that were free and interesting, | ||
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< | < | ||
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- | PAGE{{tag> | + | PAGE to be further developed |
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+ | {{tag>social_and_psychological}} | ||
+ | < | ||
===== Notes and comments ===== | ===== Notes and comments ===== | ||
visible only when logged on as editor | visible only when logged on as editor | ||
- | PAGE TO BE DEVELOPED(({{pubmed>long:88888888}})) | + | PAGE TO BE DEVELOPED(({{pmid>long:000}})) |
- | =====References===== | + | =====References=====</ |