The vagus nerve is known as the 10th cranial nerve out of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves that emanate from the brain. It is also the longest and most complex of these nerve systems. The vagus nerve transmits information to and from the brainstem to tissues and organs throughout the neck, heart , lungs and abdomen.
The vagus nerve is responsible for linking the sensory activity and motor information used for movement within these areas of the body and helps regulate internal organ functions such as: digestion, heart rate and respiratory rate. It also is involved in reflex actions like , coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting.
The importance of the vagus nerves role in these bodily functions could suggest a closer look into any brain/body correlations in regards to our overall mental health.
The Role of the Vagus Nerve in the Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system is a division of the peripheral nervous system that influences the function of internal organs, and acts largely unconsciously to regulate our heart, respiratory rate, digestion, urination and sexual arousal. It is the primary mechanism in control of the fight or flight response and the freeze and dissociate response.
The autonomic nervous system has for the most part two branches. The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
The sympathetic nervous system is known as the fight or flight part that signals for more supply of blood and motor control necessary in a heightened state of an emergency in order to protect and survive in a dangerous situation or during physical exercise.
The parasympathetic system is known as the rest and digest state that is required for the body to heal, relax and recover in order to regain strength after stressors are placed on it. The vagus nerve is majorly involved in this system, decreasing alertness, heart rate, blood pressure and helping with calmness and relaxation.
The most important function of the vagus nerve is to bring information of the inner organs of the gut, liver, heart and lungs back to the brain. This suggests that the inner organs are major sources of sensory information for the brain as indicators of how they play a part in linking our bodies symptoms to our mental health.
Mental Health Implications
Since the vagus nerve has such a prominent role in lowering our blood pressure , heart rate and breathing. It would make sense that anxiety and stress could be greatly regulated along with fear management from a healthy vagus nerve.
Since the vagus nerve has pathways into almost every major organ in the body, researchers are looking into other ways vagus nerve stimulation could aid other conditions like:
Rheumatoid arthritis inflammation
Heart failure
Abnormal heart rhythm
Crohn’s disease
In, 1997 the FDA approved the use of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for epilepsy and in 2005 for depression. Vagus nerve stimulation has also been found to be helpful with:
Bipolar disorder
Anxiety
Alzheimer’s disease
PTSD
Body LENS Neurofeedback
From a neurofeedback point of view; the parasympathetic nervous system can be merged with thus effecting the vagus nerve through what is known as Body LENS. This involves placing active sensors on particular locations of the body, like the abdomen, fingertips, feet and toes to connect into the peripheral nervous system to assist the body into a more calm state.
Most anxiety, depression and PTSD clients show underactive parasympathetic dominant states. Getting them to engage again and turn off the cycle of heightened alertness is the goal.
Treating the abdomen area of a client, where the vagus nerve resides, as well as along the spinal column, has been shown to alleviate stress and bring about homeostasis.
A variety of points throughout the body can be successfully treated with Body LENS, effecting how the vagus nerve better deals with the regulation of stress and fear management.
– A balanced brain is a calm brain-