Introduction

One of the most crucial things that you should know about the vagus nerve is that it represents a pivotal component of the parasympathetic nervous system, overseeing a wide range of important bodily functions, which includes the control of mood, digestion, heart rate, immune response and so on. Besides all of that, creates one of the important connections between the human brain and gastrointestinal tract and sends data or information about the condition of the inner organs to the brain through the afferent fibres. Also, continue reading to know how and why the vagus nerve is an appealing target in treating the gastrointestinal and psychiatric disorders. There is initial evidence (preliminary) that the vagus nerve stimulation or treatment is an additional treatment that should be done to treat refractory depression, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Treatment of Vagus Nerve Disorders

Besides all of that, the treatment that targets the vagus nerve enhances the vagal tone and prevent the cytokine production. And, both of them are pivotal mechanism of resilience. The treatment of vagal afferent fibres in the gut influences the brain’s monoaminergic systems, in the brain stem that plays an important role in the main psychiatric conditions like anxiety disorder and mood disorders. Plus, one of the main things that you should know is that, there is initial evidence for gut bacteria to have an advantageous effect on the anxiety and mood, partially by affecting the activity or work of the vagus nerve. As the vagal tone, is co-related to the capacity to control stress responses, and it can be influenced by breathing, it is increased through meditation and yoga & contributes towards resilience and lessening of the mood and anxiety disorders or symptoms.

The Brain-Gut- Alliance Connection

Further, you should know that the bi-directional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, also known as the brain-gut relation or alliance or axis, is dependent on an intricate system, including the vagus nerve, but also the sympathetic nerve through the prevertebral ganglia, humoral links, endocrine, immune as well as the influence of gut microbiota in order to regulate the gastrointestinal homeostasis and to link emotional and cognitive areas of the brain with the gut working/functions.

Conclusion 

Lastly, the Vagus nerve shows an important connection between nutrition and psychiatric, inflammatory and neurological diseases. Besides, the vagus nerve transmits an extensive range of signals from digestive systems, & other organs to the brains and vice-versa. Moreover, its 10^th cranial nerve which extends from its origin or inception in the brainstem through neck and the thorax(chest) down to the abdomen, do because of its long path through your body, it has also been termed as, ‘wanderer nerve’.