The Vagus Nerve's Mysterious Role in Mental Health Untangled
(scientificamerican.com)
The vagus nerve is a vine of nerve fibers with roots in nearly every organ and shoots in the brain. It helps us detect a racing heart, rising blood pressure, stomachache, discomfort, an overzealous immune system and even alarm calls from microbes in our gut. When it senses trouble, the vagus helps to steady our heart, soothe our stomach, rein in our immune system and calm us down.
The vagus nerve is a vine of nerve fibers with roots in nearly every organ and shoots in the brain. It helps us detect a racing heart, rising blood pressure, stomachache, discomfort, an overzealous immune system and even alarm calls from microbes in our gut. When it senses trouble, the vagus helps to steady our heart, soothe our stomach, rein in our immune system and calm us down.