The vagus nerve, is the 10th paired nerve in our body, which connects the brain to the internal organs and allows them to communicate with each other. This is very important as it enables the proper functioning of the different parts of the human body. The vagus nerve, as the most important nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, is responsible for bodily functions especially during times of rest and relaxation. At least these were the main functions attributed to this nerve until recently. Nowadays, new information and studies have been published, which indicate that the vagus nerve is also an important actor during physical activity and exercise.
Traditional Vagus Nerve Function
As the largest cranial nerve, or cranial nerve, in the human body, the vagus nerve begins in the medulla oblongata, the lowest part of the brain, and ends in the colon. It is a paired nerve, that is, it runs in both the left and right parts of the body, passing through the heart, lungs, and liver. As a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, it controls and regulates the functions of internal organs, including digestion, heart rate, and breathing rate. Because of its length and importance, the nervus vagus is considered pivotal in the issue of keeping oneself in good physical condition and mental state. This nerve corrects our heart rate after a stressful situation and helps us swallow and speak. It allows us to smell the taste of food and recognize emotions. It also accounts for feelings of empathy and compassion and activates and regulates our emotional state.
The vagus nerve is 80% made up of afferent nerve fibres, or sensory fibres, which have the ability to respond to mechanical, chemical and hormonal signals. These sensory fibers sense gut bacteria and their metabolites and send information directly to the brain via rapid neurotransmission via neuropods, which were first discovered in 2015 (Bohorquezet at al., 2015).
Gut-Brain-Axis or gut-brain axis
As mentioned above, the vagus nerve is responsible for direct communication between the brain and the digestive tract. It is therefore entirely responsible for conditions where, for example, it is not easy to eat when stressed, or for the butterflies in the stomach that can be felt as one of the symptoms of falling in love. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that the gut and digestive tract may thus have a much greater influence on the occurrence of psychological illnesses such as depression (McVey Neufeld et al., 2019). In fact, up to 90% (at least 80%) of serotonin is produced in the gut and if our gut is not functioning as it should, this production does not occur or is reduced. According to McVey Neufeld, it is possible that it is through the gut-brain axis that the antidepressants we digest work and travel from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve. Thus, many studies are currently underway to determine how and to what extent gut microbiota affect brain function, particularly states of anxiety and depression.
Editor’s note: Serotonin is a hormone that is responsible for mood, digestion, sleep regulation, and more.
Editor’s Note: Stimulation of the vagus nerve has been used previously in the treatment of clinical depression, but it was not entirely clear why or how these stimulations are helpful or how they work (WebMD, 2022). Furthermore, in the past, invasive techniques were needed to stimulate the vagus nerve, but nowadays researchers are also leaning towards the use of electrodes or looking at the possibility of administering probiotics and prebiotics. Through these practices, better communication between the gut and the brain can be achieved, resulting in better mood, reduced anxiety states, and improved cognitive function (Dinan et al., 2013). It is possible that a stimulated vagus nerve transmits more serotonin to the brain than the vagus nerve in dampened activity.
The vagus nerve is also responsible for the regulation of CAIP (i.e., the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway), which is closely related to the prevention of long-lasting inflammation and gut permeability problems (Bonaz et al., 2018). A major player in this activity is acetylcholine, which prevents the production of inflammatory cytokines. A properly functioning and stimulated vagus nerve can serve as a prevention of bowel disease or serve to control symptoms of diseases associated with leaky gut syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome (Bonaz, 2022).
What direction will science take?
Another new study has found that the vagus nerve also plays a very important role in physical activity and exercise, helping the heart to pump oxygenated blood through the body. This new finding presents this nerve in a new light, especially since until now it has been associated with the opposite activity – namely rest and digestion. Previously, all activity during physical exercise was attributed to the sympathetic nervous system, but it seems that the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems work in symbiosis with each other, even in the case of increased physical exertion.
More specifically, it was found that in addition to the already known to scientists acetylcholine, the nervus vagus also releases vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) into the circulation and this happens during physical exercise. This peptide then helps to dilate the coronary veins, allowing more blood flow, and was previously known as a digestion-aiding peptide, which is released in the intestines (Julia Shank).The nervus vagus seems to be a very powerful nerve that has the ability to affect not only how we feel, but also how we digest, respond to inflammation, or whether we fall asleep without stress.
Using yoga to stimulate the vagus nerve
Since the vagus nerve travels through much of our body, it can be stimulated in several ways during a yoga practice. One is by practicing full diaphragmatic breathing and another is, for example, chanting or a breathing practice called Bhramari (“humming”). During meditation and breathing exercises, the heart rate and breathing rate are often lowered, helping to strengthen the vagus nerve overall.
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