vagus nerve

va·gus nerve | \ ˈvā-gəs-

How to pronounce vagus nerve (audio)

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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 One possibility was that microbes send signals to the brain through the long vagus nerve, which carries sensations from the digestive tract to the brain stem. — Quanta Magazine, "How Microbiomes Affect Fear," 4 Dec. 2019 Deep into the synapse The researchers knew that the vagus nerve is one way that the gut and the brain communicate and that the adaptive immune system is another. — Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, "Are you a mouse who can’t let go of fear? Your microbiome might be the problem," 27 Oct. 2019 The vagus nerve is not the only one to be targeted by new electroceutical approaches. — Scientific American, "Electroceuticals," 14 Sep. 2018 This reflex is named after the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your heart, lungs and digestive tract. — Anne R. Crecelius, The Conversation, "Why do people faint?," 20 June 2019 Interestingly, though, the vagus nerve branches out all over the body and passes directly by the cervix, Dr. Streicher says. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Kristen Bell Fainted While Trying to Remove a Menstrual Cup," 1 Nov. 2018 Death would likely come from pressure applied to the neck and cut off circulation of nerves, particularly the vagus nerve, which is the tenth cranial nerve and longest nerve in the body, Wecht said. — Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, "What can a tiny bone tell us about Jeffrey Epstein's death?," 10 Aug. 2019 The vagus nerve’s job is to regulate your parasympathetic nervous system. — Anne R. Crecelius, The Conversation, "Why do people faint?," 20 June 2019 For example, in the heart, the vagus nerve releases a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. — Anne R. Crecelius, The Conversation, "Why do people faint?," 20 June 2019

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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Last Updated

26 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Vagus nerve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vagus%20nerve. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

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