home Auditorium 8 Stimulation of the nervus vagus: calmness in stressful situations. Increased tone of the vagus nerve symptoms

Stimulation of the nervus vagus: calmness in stressful situations. Increased tone of the vagus nerve symptoms

The vagus nerve (vagal nerve) is a complex branched nerve complex, which is the tenth pair. The vagus nerve passes through the base of the skull into the neck and from there through the chest into the abdominal cavity. It serves to transport brain signals to different parts of the body, so damage to it can cause various symptoms.

Having figured out where this nerve is located in a person, you should understand its functions. This nerve is formed from motor, sensory and secretory fibers, which determines its functions.

IN in good condition The vagus nerve provides the following functions:

As it becomes clear, damage to this nerve can cause a number of different symptoms. If for some reason it completely stops performing its function, there is only one possible outcome - death, since the person’s heart will simply stop.

Symptoms of the disease

If damaged vagus nerve Symptoms and treatment largely depend on which area is damaged. Diseases of the vagus nerve are accompanied by the development of a number of unrelated symptoms:

The most common symptom is a severe headache and pain in the middle ear, which is a consequence of a violation of a section of the nerve located in the skull.

The vagus passes through the neck, and if this area is damaged, a violation of swallowing function develops, up to complete paralysis, which can cause breathing problems and death from suffocation. Damage to this area is often accompanied by a change in voice.

The lesion may be located in thoracic region, then symptoms of pneumonia develop, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and inability to cough.

On the side of the gastrointestinal tract, digestive disorders, diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting are possible.

The most pronounced symptoms are cardiac dysfunction vascular system– pain in the heart area, decreased heart rate.

When the vagus nerve is irritated, the autonomic system reacts by decreasing or increasing tone. With decreased tone, increasing irritability, restlessness, and fussiness are observed. The person becomes hot-tempered and reacts aggressively to stimuli. Increased tone manifested by apathy, drowsiness, decreased response to stimuli.

Pinched nerve

When this nerve is pinched, the area in the skull reacts with sudden migraines. This is a condition in which severe pain occurs, localized in one part of the head.

When pinched, angioneurosis or neurasthenic syndrome develops. The lesion may be accompanied by Meniere's syndrome, the characteristic symptoms of which are dizziness and hearing loss.

Due to a disorder of peripheral nervous system Possible circulatory problems lower limbs. A characteristic sign of this condition is pale skin.

Nerve stimulation

Vagus nerve stimulation is used in complex treatment epileptic seizures in patients. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is carried out by implanting a device that generates impulses. During an attack of epilepsy, chaotic impulses are sent from the brain. Stimulation of the vagus nerve allows you to get rid of seizures due to exposure to electric current.

Stimulation of the vagus nerve helps improve the patient’s condition, but is accompanied by a number of risks that can develop if implantation is performed incorrectly.

Causes of diseases

For the development of any disease, causes and provoking factors are necessary. Diseases that may affect the vagus nerve are:

heavy chronic diseases;
meningitis;
multiple sclerosis, stroke, aneurysm;
tumor growth in the brain;
intoxication of the body.

In diabetes mellitus, glucose absorption is impaired. If your sugar level for a long time greatly increased, the process of weakening begins vascular walls. This causes poor circulation and the development of stagnant processes, which can result in damage to the nervous system and vagus nerve.

Severe chronic diseases that lead to nerve damage include:

tuberculosis;
AIDS;
sinusitis;

At chronic sinusitis there is a high probability of infection spreading through the bloodstream throughout the body and, consequently, the development of an inflammatory process in the nerve structure.

Alcoholism often leads to the development of neuralgia. In most cases, damage to the vagus nerve is noted. The disease can develop due to intoxication of the body with heavy metals or chemicals.

Also, damage to this nerve often occurs due to injury caused by a sharp bend of the neck back, for example, during an accident or during extreme sports.

Diagnostics

If one of the above symptoms appears, you should immediately consult a neurologist. The diagnosis is made after analyzing complaints and examining the patient. Diagnostics includes the following examinations:

Brain MRI;
chest x-ray;
examination using a laryngoscope.

The neurologist may refer the patient to an otolaryngologist for comprehensive examination for chronic diseases.

Traditional Treatments

After the diagnosis is made, the doctor prescribes drug therapy. Treatment for vagus nerve damage usually includes hormonal drugs For quick effect. The patient is also advised to take antihistamines to relieve swelling of the affected nerve. Be sure to take care of strengthening the entire nervous system; for this, B vitamins and medications containing magnesium are used.

After the main symptoms have been relieved, the doctor may prescribe a course of physiotherapeutic procedures. Electric current methods are usually used to help restore normal function of the affected nerve and improve local metabolic processes.

Traditional methods of treatment

Traditional medicine knows how to treat various pathologies. However, the effectiveness of such treatment remains controversial. There are methods to restore the function of the affected vagus, but it should be remembered that alternative methods should not replace traditional drug treatment. Traditional treatment can be used in addition to therapeutic methods and only after consulting with your doctor.

Treatment with medicinal herbs will slightly improve the patient’s condition, but will not completely eliminate the disease, so such methods can be used at your own peril and risk.

Thyme helps get rid of nervous tension; it is recommended to drink 50 ml daily. To prepare the decoction, boil a large spoonful of dried flowers in 50 ml of water for ten minutes.
Another easy one sedative is a mixture of mint and lemon balm. To prepare a decoction, pour 10 g of a dry mixture of herbs into 300 ml of boiling water and leave until it cools completely. The decoction should be taken daily, one glass.
Hot baths with medicinal herbs are also used for treatment, which help relieve muscle hypertonicity. To prepare a healing bath, you need to mix 20 g of calamus, oregano, pine buds and yarrow and pour five liters of boiling water. The infusion should stand for at least five hours, and then it is filtered and poured into a bath of water at a comfortable temperature. The time for taking such a bath is 20 minutes, the frequency is daily.
Another healing bath is to mix mint, calamus, lavender flowers and prepare a bath.
You can also use valerian root and sage to prepare healing baths.

It should be understood that traditional methods Treatments can only temporarily relieve symptoms and improve psycho-emotional well-being. It is advisable to use such methods for sleep problems, since they are soothing medicinal herbs have a positive effect on the nervous system and help you fall asleep quickly.

Only drug therapy, however, healing does not happen in one day. Complex treatment lasts a long time, sometimes for full recovery Vagal function may take up to a month.

Prevention

Vagus performs very important functions, therefore, if it is affected, life-threatening symptoms may develop. To avoid this, you should adhere to the following rules:

balanced diet;
absence of bad habits;
lack of stress;
taking vitamins for prevention;
maintaining blood vessels and muscles in tone.

A balanced diet means maximum healthy products, fruits and vegetables, and a minimum of processed foods and street food. Smoking and alcohol abuse are the main enemies of healthy nerves; these habits should be abandoned without regret.

A daily routine will help ensure there is no stress, good sleep, physical activity and walks on fresh air. To keep your body in good shape, neurologists recommend daily contrast showers.

If it was not possible to avoid the development of the disease, it is important not to delay a visit to the doctor, because only timely treatment will avoid complications.

The vagus nerve (n.vagus) is the tenth pair of cranial nerves and is classified as mixed. It is divided into 4 sections according to its topography. The vagus nerve is very long and runs from the skull to the middle of the gastrointestinal tract, which is why it has such an interesting name.

Topography

The vagus nerve has a rather complex topographic anatomy. This is explained by its length and the fact that the location of the right and left nerves is somewhat different from each other.

Both of these nerves begin in the same way. They are formed from a dozen fibers and extend from both sides to the base of the skull from the medulla oblongata. They then drop down through the hole in cranium. The first large node, the ganglion superius, is located here. The second is lower and is called ganglion inferius.

After both nerve trunks have reached the superior thoracic outlet, they begin to “behave” differently. The left vagus nerve is located on the anterior part of the aortic arch, and the right one is located near the subclavian artery.

Then they go around both bronchi from behind and approach the esophagus.

It passes down through the diaphragm to the upper floor abdominal cavity. In the epigastric region they are divided into many smaller branches that transmit impulses to the diaphragm, solar plexus and organs of the upper floor of the abdominal cavity.

The vagus nerve consists of the following fibers:

Sensory fibers. They carry impulses from the organ to the brain. Fibers from the vessels of the respiratory organs, esophagus and stomach, cardiac muscle, and external auditory canal approach the sensitive nucleus of the n.vagus;
Motor fibers. They transmit impulses in the opposite direction. From the motor nucleus, the fibers reach the muscles of the pharynx, soft palate, and larynx;
Parasympathetic nerve fibers. They influence the autonomic function of the heart and control the muscular lining of blood vessels. They can also narrow the lumen of the bronchi, increase intestinal motility and affect all organs that are innervated by the vagus nerve.

Functions

The vagus nerve is divided into four sections according to its location. They vary in length and in each of them, smaller branches depart from the large nerve trunk, which innervate nearby organs and tissues.

The shortest head section. From this area depart fibers that innervate part of the dura mater of the brain (one of the causes of migraines), the inner ear, as well as two connecting branches that lead to the eleventh and twelfth pairs of cranial nerves.

The branches of the cervical spine are responsible for the work of the muscles of the pharynx and larynx. If the vagus nerve is damaged in this section, the patient loses his voice and develops dysphagia. Also from this area small nerves depart, which are part of the cardiac and esophageal plexus.

The thoracic region ends at the level of the diaphragm. Two separate plexuses depart from it, which are responsible for the functioning of the esophagus and lungs. And also two types of branches - cardiac and bronchial.

The vagus nerve ends in the abdominal region. Here it is divided into anterior and posterior trunks, which innervate the stomach, pancreas, liver, and solar plexus.

The activity of n.vagus is increased mainly at night. This is explained by the fact that it is responsible for the functioning of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.

The vagus nerve slows down the heartbeat and reduces the contraction of the nasty muscles of the bronchi. At the same time, secretion production by the stomach and pancreas increases. The greatest activity of this part of the nervous system occurs at night.

The vagus nerve is also responsible for coughing and vomiting, which are protective reflexes. We also owe the appearance of hiccups to pathological impulses that pass along the branches of the vagus nerve to the diaphragm.

Treatment of diseases is aimed at eliminating the symptoms that appear when the transmission of impulses along individual branches of the n.vagus is disrupted.

Diseases

The vagus nerve, like any part of the nervous system, is susceptible to various damages. Clinical picture The disease largely depends on the location of the lesion.

If the lesion is located inside the skull, then most often it is compression by tumor neoplasms, consequences of traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, ALS or infections that are tropic to the nervous tissue.

The most common diseases that affect the peripheral part of the vagus nerve include neurasthenia, Raynaud's or Meniere's disease, paralysis or nerve paresis.

Vascular diseases are associated with pathological work vagus nerve.

Symptoms of vagus nerve dysfunction depend on the depth, extent and location of the lesion. First of all, the functioning of the vocal cords is disrupted. This is due to damage in cervical spine. The voice becomes quiet, hoarse, and may disappear completely. If both nerves are affected, suffocation may occur.

Another common symptom is difficulty swallowing. Water or liquid food may enter the nasopharynx.

The work of the heart is disrupted. The heartbeat slows down or speeds up, and its rhythm becomes uneven (arrhythmia). These symptoms prevail at night.

With serious damage to the n.vagus, paralysis may occur, which leads to fatal outcome.

Research methods

If you have symptoms that indicate damage to the 10th pair of cranial nerves, you should contact a neurologist.

The doctor first determines the sonority of the voice. This is a simple research method that does not require cost or effort. You need to pay attention to the sound of the voice, its timbre and clarity of speech. A certain nasal sound may occur due to paresis of the soft palate. The timbre of the voice becomes lower due to the fact that vocal cords cannot close tightly enough. For the same reason, the patient is unable to cough on purpose.

When examining the oral cavity, the doctor notices that the soft palate is relaxed and slightly sagging downwards. If you ask the patient to pronounce vowel sounds,
then the tongue will deviate towards the affected side.

As with any pathology of the nervous system, a weakening of some reflexes will be observed. With this lesion, the pharyngeal and palatal reflexes will not be fully determined.

For differential diagnosis they are used instrumental methods studies: computed and magnetic resonance imaging, radiography of the skull and chest organs.

Therapy methods

Treatment of pathology of the vagus nerve should take place exclusively in a neurological hospital. This is due to the fact that it innervates vital organs (heart, lungs).

The most important stage of treatment is eliminating the cause of the disease. Therefore it is necessary to pay attention differential diagnosis. If the disease has an infectious etiology, then the main drug of therapy is antiviral or bactericidal drugs.

The main medications used to treat many diseases are steroid drugs. These include prednisolone and dexamethasone. The course of therapy is long and requires constant correction.

Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed. For example, when gastric secretion and intestinal motility are reduced, prozerin is used.

The vagus nerve is one of twelve nerves found in the human skull. Its function is very important - it provides information to the brain about what is happening throughout the nervous system and is responsible for controlling reflex function. The vagus nerve has quite complex structure, including motor, secretory and sensory fibers. It is known that the fibers conduct impulses that enter the cerebral cortex, awakening all known functions. In particular, the fibers of the vagus nerve can slow down the heartbeat, narrow the bronchi, relax sphincters and increase intestinal motility, enhance the secretion of glands and much more. It is not surprising that damage to the vagus nerve can lead to numerous diseases in the body.

Why is the vagus nerve damaged in the human body?

There can be a huge number of reasons for its damage. Let's look at the most common ones. One of them - diabetes. Damage to blood vessels due to elevated blood sugar levels can lead to inflammation and even damage to the vagus nerve. By the way, other chronic diseases, such as HIV or Parkinson's disease, can also have a detrimental effect on such an important fiber. The vagus nerve suffers greatly in severe accidents and injuries. Surgery, when under unforeseen circumstances the patient experiences a sharp increase in pressure on the vagus nerve, can also lead to serious damage to it. Detrimental bad habits, such as alcoholism, are another possible reason(alcoholic neuropathy).

What are the symptoms that there is damage to the vagus nerve?

Symptoms manifest themselves in different ways. It is quite natural that the more severe the injury, the more complex the consequences may be. Most often, voice problems initially appear, such as hoarseness, difficulties in pronunciation, and even a noticeable change in the voice. Dysphagia is the next stage when problems with swallowing saliva and food begin. This is due to the fact that the vagus nerve is responsible for the tongue movement reflex, and damage to it determines movement dysfunction. Violation of the same reflex function can lead to an unreasonable gag reflex, which can lead to suffocation. This is followed by digestive problems (indigestion, constipation, etc.), problems with cardiac activity (arrhythmia, pain in the chest, breathing problems and dizziness), urinary incontinence, and deafness.

How to treat the vagus nerve

Treatment is best carried out under the supervision of a specialist. Its significance is very high, since the problems that arise when the vagus nerve is damaged are extremely serious, and incorrect treatment or its absence can be fatal. The fact is that therapy rarely helps in this case, so the main methods of treatment are surgical intervention, electrical stimulation. With correct diagnosis, timely intervention and compliance with all treatment conditions, restoration of the vagus nerve is just a matter of time.

Vagal fibers conduct impulses to organs in the head (innervate the larynx, palate and middle ear), as well as the chest and abdominal cavities.

The main functions of the vagus nerve are related to the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system. What does it mean? – In the human nervous system there are a pair of opposites – the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Sympathetic– associated with the activation of the body, active work, is aimed at increasing the speed of reactions, intensive production of hormones, preparing for running and fighting.

Parasympathetic nervous system - prepares the body for relaxation, recuperation, digestion of food, sleep, sex and other activities related to pleasure. Thus, the vagus nerve partly regulates a person’s mood and sleep.

With chronic overexcitation of the nervous system, muscle hypertonicity And similar conditions Vagus nerve dysfunction may be suspected.

Where is the vagus nerve located? – You can feel it yourself directly in the hole under the earlobe.

Coming from the jugular foramen of the brain, the vagus descends along the side of the neck as part of the neurovascular bundle along with carotid artery and internal jugular vein. Passes near the trachea and pharynx, innervating them. Next, the vagus passes into the chest cavity, it right branch goes next to the right subclavian artery, and the left one is in front of the aortic arch. Both branches approach the lower part of the esophagus, passing from it in front and behind, and regulate its functions. Next, through the opening of the diaphragm, both nerve fibers enter the abdominal cavity. They innervate the stomach. Then some of the fibers go to the liver, some to the celiac (or solar) plexus. From the celiac plexus, fibers approach all organs of the abdominal cavity, except lower sections colon and pelvic organs.

The vagus nerve contains fibers responsible for motor skills and sensory skills ( mixed type), but all his activities are still connected with the autonomic nervous system - from the word “vegetable” - “vegetable” (that which cannot be controlled by consciousness) - as opposed to the somatic nervous system - from the word “soma” - “body” (we can consciously control muscle movement).

Symptoms of dysfunction

Since the vagus nerve innervates the larynx, damage to it leads to problems with speech and uncomfortable swallowing, and loss of the gag reflex. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract is also one of the manifestations of vagal dysfunction, manifested in loss of appetite, and a feeling of satiety may occur after eating a small amount of food.

Causes of defeat

One of the causes of damage to the vagus nerve is diabetes. The mechanism that destroys nerve fibers is not fully understood. Damage and irritation of the vagus nerve can also be caused by injuries to the body, for example, during car accident and others when a pinched nerve occurs. Surgery can also affect the functioning of the nerve.

Exercises to stimulate the vagus nerve

Preparation:

Sit upright on a chair with your hands on your knees
Place both feet on the floor and take a deep breath

Neck area

Stretch your head as far as possible with the top of your head up and turn it left and right. Repeat this movement several times.

Lower jaw area

Move lower jaw, slowly opening and closing your mouth, moving it from side to side, back and forth. Feel the muscles in your jaw, which may be causing tension. painful sensations. Do this exercise until you feel slight fatigue in your jaw.

Eyes

Open and close your eyes. Look in different directions without moving your head - left and right, up and down. Alternately open your eyes wide and squint.

Facial muscles

Think back to your childhood and spend a few minutes “making faces”, trying to use as many facial muscles as possible.

Middle ear

Listen. Hear background sounds environment, for example, the creaking of chairs, the sound of tires of a car passing on the street, the chirping of birds, the sound of an elevator, the noise of a running computer, the rustle of an air conditioner or fan.

Throat

First, make a few “coughing” movements (as if something has entered the trachea), and then swallow the saliva.

Larynx

Start developing your voice, for example, you can hiss like a snake, or roar like a lion. The main thing is that these sounds lead to tension in the muscles of the larynx.
Feel the vibration in the larynx; the vibration sound should reach the diaphragm and spread throughout the abdomen.

Listen to how you feel, especially the sensation in your chest. Pay attention to every positive change, no matter how small. By performing this complex daily, you will increase the tone of the vagus nerve and the entire body, and revitalize your internal energy!

The important vagus: how the activity of the parasympathetic system affects health, well-being, mental and sexual activity. Our nervous system consists of two sections: somatic and autonomic. The somatic department is what we can control with willpower, for example, our muscles. A autonomic system we cannot control directly, only indirectly. The autonomic nervous system includes the sympathetic system (stress, tension, aggression, waste of energy) and the parasympathetic system (rest, sleep, accumulation of resources, love and sex). Normally, both systems are balanced. But with chronic stress, the activity of the parasympathetic system is suppressed. In this article I will talk about an important part of the parasympathetic system - the vagus, and in the next article we will look at how we can measure the activity of the vagus and influence its activity.

The Important Vagus: The Link Between Stress and Health, Part 1.

Autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system consists of two diametrically opposed systems that engage in a kind of “tug of war” that provides the body with the ability to maintain homeostasis.

The sympathetic nervous system is aimed at accelerating the body's functioning, acting as a kind of gas pedal - it stimulates the production of adrenaline and cortisol in response to stress. The parasympathetic nervous system performs the opposite function. The vagus nerve is the central control point of the parasympathetic nervous system. It is a kind of brake that slows down the body and uses neurotransmitters (acetylcholine and GABA) to lower heart rate, blood pressure and slow down organ function.

Thus, with irritation (or increased tone) of sympathetic nerve fibers, the heart rate increases, the arterial pressure and body temperature, blanching of the skin is observed. The muscles of the bronchi, esophagus, and stomach relax, peristalsis (muscle contractions) of the intestines slows down, a tendency to constipation occurs, blood sugar increases, and blood clotting increases.

When parasympathetic nerve fibers are excited (irritated), on the contrary, heart contractions slow down, blood pressure decreases, and the skin turns red. It becomes more frequent and copious urination, diarrhea occurs, etc.

However, such a contrast in the activities of these two departments does not refute the idea of the autonomic nervous system as a single regulatory apparatus with a diverse mechanism of action. Sympathetic department allows the body to produce enormous physical work, expend a large amount of energy. The parasympathetic is a kind of “storage” of the internal forces of the body.

Among physiologists and doctors there is such a figurative expression: “Night is the kingdom of the vagus.” Vagus - Latin name parasympathetic nerve, which promotes better rest of the body, ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the heart, and therefore the entire vascular system. An indispensable condition for the normal function of the autonomic nervous system, and therefore for the implementation of all necessary processes in the body, is a certain activity (tone) of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic departments. When their tone changes (increases or decreases), the corresponding vital functions also change. In this way the body adapts to the influences external environment and reacts to internal processes occurring within himself.

Vagus.

So, the most important part The parasympathetic system is the vagus (vagus nerve), the tenth pair of cranial nerves, a paired mixed nerve containing motor, sensory and autonomic fibers.

The vagus nerve receives its name because from its trunk, located in the cerebellum, there are a large number of branches, as well as the brain stem, which reaches the organs located at the very bottom of the abdominal cavity, affecting the main large organs along the way.

The vagus nerve supplies motor fibers to the muscles of the larynx, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, blood vessels, heart (inhibit heart activity, regulate blood pressure). With sensory fibers, the vagus nerve innervates the occipital parts of the dura mater, the organs of the neck, stomach, and lungs. The vagus nerve is involved: in many reflex acts (swallowing, coughing, vomiting, filling and emptying of the stomach); in regulating heartbeat, breathing; in the formation of the solar plexus.

The vagus nerve constantly sends sensitive information about the state of the body's organs to the brain. In fact, 80-90% of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve are dedicated to transmitting information from the internal organs to the brain. The same communication chain exists in the opposite direction - messages from the brain to the internal organs are also received through the vagus nerve, the content of which is a command to calm down or prepare for defense in stressful situations. Your vagus nerve is the commander-in-chief that helps you stay calm in stressful situations.

The vagus nerve is one of twelve nerves found in the human skull. Its function is very important - it provides information to the brain about what is happening throughout the nervous system and is responsible for controlling reflex function. It is not surprising that damage to the vagus nerve can lead to numerous diseases in the body.

Vagal tone and health.

Roy Fry of the University of Pittsburgh, drawing on extensive experimental data collected by him in California and his colleagues around the world, did not simply link IQ, status, health, life expectancy, race and parasympathetic nervous system activity. He claims that the origins of all differences are in mutations of just one gene associated with vagal tone.

The “enemy of peoples” turned out to be the regulatory part of the gene encoding the M2 muscarinic receptor, which is sensitive to the nervous system neurotransmitter acetylcholine. These receptors are widely represented both in the central nervous system and in the parasympathetic system, which controls the functions of internal organs. So even small changes in the number of receptors (we are not talking about quality, because mutations are in the regulatory part of the gene, and not in the coding one) affect both mental abilities and the activity of the main “conductor” of the parasympathetic nervous system - the vagus nerve.

These mutations, or rather, point substitutions of nucleotides, became the missing link that immediately explained all the above-mentioned differences. Certainly, good health and life expectancy is partly explained by the high status in society inherited from the parents, and good education. But how then to explain the fact that the life expectancy of children adopted in Denmark in 1924–1947 correlated with social class their biological parents, but not their legal ones? In this case, classical genetics simply “requires” the presence of some hereditary factor, associated simultaneously with both IQ and health.

As for the connection between health and vagal activity, two experimentally confirmed hypotheses are involved here, named after the names of the authors: Tracy’s theory, which explains the low intensity of inflammatory reactions with high vagal tone, and Thayer’s theory, which connects emotional and physical state. Moreover, the activity of this nerve, measured classical triad(heart rate variability and recovery time, respiratory sinus arrhythmia), correlates not only with average life expectancy and the incidence of certain diseases, but also with race.

This whole system of half a dozen variables is simplified at once by accepting the “CHMR2 vagal hypothesis.” It does not contradict any of the connections mentioned, but rearranges the positions of cause and effect. According to the "vagal hypothesis", average level IQ, life expectancy, vagal tone and social status depend on a single nucleotide at position rs8191992. If it is adenine (A gene variant), then the number of receptors in the body’s cells decreases, the tone of the vagus nerve decreases and the incidence of atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases increases - simultaneously with a decrease in intellectual abilities (attention, ability to concentrate, memory). If it is thymine (T-variant), then vice versa.

To link genetics to race, Fry used data last year from Alison Kelly-Hedgpeth, who studied these alleles in the context of chronic inflammation. The “hierarchy” remained unchanged: in blacks the frequency of the “unsuccessful” A-variant is 0.86, in whites it is 0.57, and the happiest were the long-lived and wise East Asians with 0.12. The new theory also explains the so-called Spanish health paradox: Hispanics in the United States, as well as Indians, despite their relatively low average IQ and social status compared to whites, live significantly longer. But their frequency of the “bad” A-variant turned out to be 0.33.

Vagus and well-being.

There is such a thing as vagal tone (vagal tone), which determines how quickly an organism can switch from one state to another. This is simplified, of course, the picture is more complex. Normal vagal tone (hereinafter referred to as VT) is associated with a cheerful mood and resistance to stress, and this has been the case since childhood. Tone shows the quality of adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Barbara Fredrickson (pictured at the beginning of the article), a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and one of the renowned researchers in the field of positive psychology, has suggested that vagal tone and positive characteristics are interdependent: if you have a good TBI, then you will both more cheerful and healthier, and if you become cheerful, you will improve your tone.

Vagal tone predicted changes in social connectedness (connections and relationships) and positive (but not negative) emotions over the course of the experiment. The higher it was, the more positive changes were added. But even in people with below average tone, both social connections and positive emotions increased, and the number of negative emotions, and vagal tone improved.

The pattern of results suggests that vagal tone is the key to personal resources: it controls the volume of positive emotions and social connections that we experience every day. Supposedly it increases oxytocin levels and decreases inflammatory processes in the body, improves the functioning of the immune system and strengthens the cardiovascular system, increases protection against stress and produces other beneficial changes. For example: the vagus nerve plays an important role in the production of insulin, and therefore the regulation of blood sugar and the likelihood of diabetes. A strong correlation has been found between poor vagal tone and death from cardiovascular disease.

Vagus and inflammation.

Sufficient vagal activity is important to control inflammation. Vagal control of inflammation prevents the development of many diseases associated with systemic inflammation, from depression to Parkinson's disease. Stimulation of vagus efferents is important in the implementation of an anti-inflammatory response in endotoxic shock, local inflammation of the skin; modulation of the activity of peripheral cholinergic receptors - anaphylaxis, the appearance of “stress ulcers”. Central M-cholinergic receptors and the effects of the non-neuronal cholinergic system may be involved in the regulation of immune system activity, thereby mediating the immunomodulatory functions of the nervus vagus in the development of inflammation.

This means that any stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to an increase in acetylcholine levels, suppresses the above-mentioned inflammatory reflex, including autoimmune processes? This phenomenon is called “Cholinergic control of inflammation.”

On the surface of macrophages that produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as NFkB or TNF, there are acetylcholine receptors and, accordingly, acetylcholine secreted by the corresponding neurons activates these receptors, suppressing the work of macrophages. Effector ends reflex arc, represented by cholinergic neurons, are scattered widely, but the bulk of them are collected at the gate, through which foreign antigens flow into the body in a wide front, i.e. at respiratory tract And digestive tract. It is not difficult to realize that the aforementioned effector ends are collected mainly in the vagus nerve.

Exciting new research also links the vagus nerve to improved neurogenesis, and BNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, like a super fertilizer for your brain cells) repair of brain tissue, as well as actual regeneration throughout the body.

Dr. Kevin Tracey's group has shown that the brain directly interacts with the immune system. It releases substances that control inflammatory reactions, which develop during infectious and autoimmune diseases. Results of laboratory experiments and still ongoing clinical trials suggest that vagus nerve stimulation may block uncontrolled inflammatory responses and treat some diseases, including life-threatening sepsis.

The vagus nerve is located in the brain stem and descends from it to the heart and further to the stomach. Tracy demonstrated that the vagus nerve interacts with the immune system through the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Stimulating the nerve signals the immune system to stop releasing toxic inflammatory markers. The identification of this mechanism, called the “inflammatory reflex,” came as a surprise to scientists.

The authors read that new understanding of the role of the vagus nerve in regulating inflammation will allow doctors to tap into the body's natural regenerative mechanisms and suppress the development of sepsis without allowing patients to die.

Signs of healthy vagal tone

A healthy tone of the vagus nerve is indicated by a slight increase in heart rate as you inhale and a decrease as you exhale. Glubokoe diaphragmatic breathing– with a deep and slow exhalation – the key to stimulating the vagus nerve and slowing down the pulse, lowering blood pressure, mainly in conditions of tension and pressure. A high level of vagal tone is associated with mental and physiological health. Conversely, low vagal tone is accompanied by inflammation, bad mood, feelings of loneliness and even heart attacks.

As is known, diligent athletes are characterized by a higher tone of the vagus nerve, since they engage in aerobic activities. breathing exercises which lead to a decrease in heart rate. Heart health is directly related to stimulation of the vagus nerve, since during the latter the production of a substance called “vagus nerve substance” or, in scientific terms, acetylcholine is triggered. By the way, this substance is the first neurotransmitter discovered by scientists.

Smokers have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Nicotine is a substance found in cigarettes that also stimulates vagal activity. Therefore, although smoking has a huge number of complications, in some cases vagal stimulation has clinical significance. Nicotine reduces symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through direct stimulation of the vagus.

Nicotine also reduces the frequency and severity of symptoms of a number of autoimmune diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Don't rush to start smoking. Next, we will look at how to increase vagal tone using healthier methods!

An irrefutable fact is that smokers are many times less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, as evidenced by John Baron, who conducted Scientific research in this area. In addition to him, this trend was also noticed by workers from Beijing medical school, who also came to the conclusion that the more experience a smoker has, the lower his risk of developing parkinsonism.

If you are guided by this idea, it becomes clear why smokers are significantly less likely, significantly less likely, to suffer from idiopathic Parkinsonism. The fact is that acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR), on macrophages and microglial cells, are also activated by nicotine. That is, the introduction of nicotine into the body suppresses systemic inflammation, compensating for vagal deficiency.

The conclusion is that the more you smoke, the further away Parkinson's is from you. And for those who have not smoked at all, on the contrary, the risk of developing such a disease is much greater than even for those who smoked and quit.

Researchers at the University of Washington have suggested that edible plants from the nightshade family, which includes tobacco, could become available preventative measure in relation to Parkinson's disease. The study group included 490 patients who were first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease between 1992 and 2008; the control group included 644 healthy person. Using a questionnaire, scientists found out how often they all ate tomatoes, potatoes, tomato juice And Bell pepper, as well as vegetables that do not contain nicotine. Gender, age, race, smoking and caffeine consumption were taken into account. It turned out that eating vegetables, in general, has no effect on the development of Parkinson's disease, but, in contrast, eating nightshades protects against it. Of all the nightshades, bell peppers have the most pronounced effect, and, in turn, this effect is most noticeable in patients who have never smoked or have smoked for less than 10 years. Researchers believe that in smokers, because they get more nicotine from cigarettes than from food, this effect is masked.