The Vagus Nerve – Cranial Nerve X
HIDEInteractive Transcript
0:00
Dr. P here with our friend
0:03
and sometimes our enemy when
0:05
we're not feeling so well,
0:06
the vagus nerve.
0:08
Historically, it's cited as the pneumogastric nerve.
0:11
It's also known as the 10th cranial nerve,
0:15
and it interfaces with the parasympathetic
0:17
control of the heart, the lungs,
0:19
the digestive tract, and the vagus nerves are paired,
0:23
but they're normally referred to as
0:24
the vagus nerve in the singular.
0:26
It's the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system
0:29
in the entire human body.
0:31
It leaves the medulla oblongata between the pyramid
0:35
in front and the inferior cerebellar peduncle,
0:38
or restiform body in the back.
0:42
And there it is.
0:43
We've got our glossopharyngeal nerve right here.
0:45
And here, this one is right behind a branch of PICA.
0:49
And then behind that is the vagus nerve.
0:51
So the vagus nerve is sort of posterior and a little
0:54
mesial as we get out laterally to the glossopharyngeal nerve.
0:59
And then we can follow it peripherally.
1:01
So we're going down now.
1:03
And as we get into the jugular foramen,
1:06
it's going to sit between the jugular vein and
1:10
the carotid artery. Same thing on this side.
1:12
The jugular vein doesn't have flow phenomenon here,
1:15
but here's the jugular vein right there.
1:16
There's the carotid artery.
1:18
So the vagus nerve is going to be sitting
1:20
right in this locus at this level.
1:23
It then passes into the carotid sheath between the
1:26
internal carotid artery and the internal jugular vein,
1:29
down into the neck, the chest, and the abdomen,
1:32
where it contributes to innervation of the viscera,
1:34
reaching all the way, believe it or not, to the colon.
1:38
Dr. P out.
Stephen J Pomeranz, MD
Chief Medical Officer, ProScan Imaging. Founder, MRI Online
ProScan Imaging
© 2024 MRI Online. All Rights Reserved.