vagus nerve

noun

va·gus nerve | \ ˈvā-gəs-

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

Examples of vagus nerve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the practice stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps regulate mood. — Sarah Richards, Woman's Day, "Quiet Your Mind in Anxious Times With These Expert Tricks," 14 Aug. 2018 Along with a heavy drug combination, William got a vagus nerve stimulator, an implant that sends electrical signals to the brain. — Anne Saker, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati tested the marijuana drug that the FDA has just approved," 27 June 2018 Treatment for epilepsy is usually tailored to each individual patient and may include medication, surgery, stimulation of the vagus nerve, and changes in nutrition. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Why Movie Theaters Are Posting Warnings About All of the Strobe Lights in 'Incredibles 2'," 22 June 2018 Here’s how the calming power of touch works on a physiological level: Touch stimulates pressure receptors under the skin that carry signals to the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to the rest of the body. — Cari Romm, The Cut, "The Lasting Damage of Depriving a Child of Human Touch," 20 June 2018 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

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.

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The first known use of vagus nerve was in 1856

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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