vagus nerve

noun va·gus nerve \ ˈvā-gəs- \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of vagus nerve

: 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

Recent Examples of vagus nerve from the Web

For example, being able to work with nerves in the bladder or the pancreas or vagus nerve could have a lot of interesting therapeutic benefits — almost like acupuncture.

— angela chen, The Verge, "Why it’s so hard to develop the right material for brain implants," 30 May 2018
Some studies propose that aggregates of alpha synuclein move from the intestines to the brain through the vagus nerve.

— diana kwon, Scientific American, "Does Parkinson’s Begin in the Gut?," 8 May 2018
For example, people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes might experience damage to their vagus nerves, which can influence how well their bodies regulate hiccups.

— claire gillespie, SELF, "Here's What Hiccups Actually Are—and How to Get Rid of Them," 4 May 2018
The vagus nerve goes down the neck and runs through the visceral organs.

— tim hornyak, Scientific American, "Could Future Nerve Implants Detect and Monitor Illness?," 10 May 2018
If hiccups are really interfering with your life, there are also battery-operated tools, implanted surgically, that can send mild electrical impulses to your vagus nerve.

— claire gillespie, SELF, "Here's What Hiccups Actually Are—and How to Get Rid of Them," 4 May 2018
The metabolites, Mazmanian adds, may send a signal through the vagus nerve or bypass it completely through another pathway such as the bloodstream.

— diana kwon, Scientific American, "Does Parkinson’s Begin in the Gut?," 8 May 2018
That’s due, in part, to the vagus nerve, one of the main emotional centers of the body.

— hilary jacobs hendel, Time, "Ignoring Your Emotions Is Bad for Your Health. Here's What to Do About It," 27 Feb. 2018
The chunk of frankfurter stimulated the boy's vagus nerve, and this triggered an abnormal heart rhythm that in turn caused his heart to abruptly stop beating, Ozyilmaz and his co-authors speculated in the case study.

— susan scutti, CNN, "Boy whose heart stopped after bite of hot dog found to have rare condition," 6 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vagus nerve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of vagus nerve

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1856

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

vagus nerve

noun

medical Definition of vagus nerve

: 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