vagus nerve

noun

va·​gus nerve ˈvā-gəs- How to pronounce vagus nerve (audio)
: either of the 10th pair of cranial nerves that arise from the medulla oblongata and supply chiefly the viscera especially with autonomic sensory and motor fibers

called also vagus

Examples of vagus nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One of the easiest ways to stimulate the vagus nerve? Hannah Coates, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 Research indicates that the dive reflex, with long breath holds, especially activates the vagus nerve, a communication superhighway between our brain and nervous system. Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2021 This piece discusses advances in vagus nerve stimulation. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 There’s also one glaring caveat to vagus nerve stimulation: the price. Shi En Kim, Scientific American, 28 Dec. 2023 The procedure at UConn John Dempsey Hospital took eight hours and surgeons found both the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves were compressed, causing the pain. Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2024 Ongoing research shows electrical vagus nerve stimulators could relieve some long COVID symptoms. Shi En Kim, Scientific American, 28 Dec. 2023 In November 2021, Giovanni had VNS (vagus nerve stimulator) implant surgery to decrease the number of daily seizures. Linda Marx, Peoplemag, 4 Nov. 2023 Mechanically, the researchers said the most likely connection between that deeper, slow breathing and blood pressure is the stimulation of the vagus nerve. Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vagus nerve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin vagus nervus, literally, "wandering nerve,"; so called from its multiplicity of connecting points in the neck, thorax, and abdomen — more at vague

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vagus nerve was in 1856

Dictionary Entries Near vagus nerve

Cite this Entry

“Vagus nerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vagus%20nerve. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

vagus nerve

noun
: either of the tenth pair of cranial nerves that arise from the medulla and supply chiefly the viscera especially with autonomic sensory and motor fibers

called also pneumogastric nerve, tenth cranial nerve, vagus

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