Introduction

Many people are not aware of the vagus nerve, also known as the vagal nerve, which is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system in the human body. This is one such system that controls the certain body work/functions like that of immune system, heart rate, digestion and so on. And, another important thing, that you ought to know about these functions is that, they cannot be controlled consciously – they are involuntary. Also, you will know that your right and left vagal nerve contain around 75% of your parasympathetic nervous system’s nerve fibres. So, these are the fibres that send data or information between your digestive system, heart and brain. Moreover, the are situated in number 10^th of amongst the 12 cranial nerves. The vagus nerve is known as cranial nerve X, which means 10.

Important Functions of the Vagus Nerves

The main part of the body’s nervous system is vagal nerves. They play a crucial role in the motor movement functions and involuntary sensory functions which comprises of the following – digestion, heart rate, respiration (breathing), blood pressure, immune system response, mood, saliva and mucus production, muscle and skin sensation, taste, speech, and urine output. Next, you should also know that parasympathetic nervous system plays a vital role in the nervous system which controls the rest and digestion functions. And, it is the contradictory of the sympathetic nervous system’s flight or fight response. Besides all of that, the two nervous system – sympathetic and parasympathetic – makes up humans’ autonomic nervous system. This system manages involuntary body activities like anatomy.

Vagus Nerves – What is It -Latin Meaning -?

Human body’s vagus nerves are also known as the longest cranial nerve, which works from the human brain up to their large intestine. Human bodies left vagus nerve goes down the left side of the body and the right vagus nerve, travels down the right side of the human body. Vagus is a Latin word, which means ‘wandering’. So, as the name suggests this would imply that the vagal nerves take a long zigzag course through the human body. They will exit from medulla oblongata in your lower part of the brain and then pass through of connect with human neck, chest or thorax, heart, lungs, abdomen, and digestive tract and so on. Besides all of that, you should also know that the vagal nerve branches. The human bodies left and right vagal nerves join together to form a vagal trunk. They connect at the esophageal hiatus, the opening in which human body’s esophagus passes into the abdominal cavity. Further, the vagal trunk comprises of anterior-front and posterior-back gastric nerve which goes into human abdomen. There are different vagal nerve branches like inferior ganglion, superior ganglion, and vagus nerve branch that connects to your heart, lungs and esophagus (tube that links with your mouth and stomach).