Why are scientists so excited about the vagus nerve? – podcast

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.2 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 31 August 2023

⏱️ 13 minutes

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Summary

Serving as a two-way ‘electrical superhighway’, the vagus nerve – which is actually a pair of nerves – allows for communication between the brain and the heart, lungs and abdominal organs. And because of this, it has been shown to help control things such as the heart rate, breathing, digestion and even immune responses. Now, scientists and health influencers are asking whether stimulating the vagus nerve could transform physical and mental health. Science correspondent Linda Geddes tells Ian Sample about her recent investigation into the hype and science surrounding the vagus nerve, and also whether her own experiment with an allegedly nerve-stimulating device is having any effect. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the Guardian. Okay, so I've got this device out of its box and I'm going to put it on my ear on that little
0:19.2	sort of flap of cartilage that is just in front of your sort of ear hole probably has a medical name anyway right now you're
0:27.0	listening to me wiring up my ear to a device that will apparently send an
0:32.2	electrical message to my brainstem, the lower part of my brain
0:36.4	that connects to the spinal cord. And it's running. So I'm now being, I'm now being stimulated
0:42.4	through my ear flap and it's just gently tingling away.
0:48.3	The reason, it relates to something called the Vegas Nerve, an electrical superhighway that connects the brain to many parts of our bodies
0:56.8	and gets involved with everything from our breathing to our immune system.
1:01.3	And according to some small studies, this device can reduce stress and
1:05.9	improve concentration. It's not unpleasant. It's not pleasant. Actually quite annoying,
1:12.4	I suppose if I think about it.
1:14.0	The machine I'm trying on here called the neuro-sim may not have proven medical benefits yet,
1:20.0	but scientists are conducting some proper studies on the power of the Vegas
1:23.6	nirth to transform our physical and mental health. And it's not just
1:27.6	scientists. Many wellness influences and celebrities such as Wim Hof, aka the Iceman,
1:34.4	have been hollering Viva Las Vegas.
1:37.0	You are able to control or influence deeply
1:40.3	into the Vegas nerve, you are able to bring down inflammation, which is cause and
1:46.0	effect of disease.
1:49.4	So what are the secrets of the Vegas nerve and we will understanding them really be the key to reducing
1:54.7	a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, arthritis and inflammation? I mean sample science
2:01.6	editor of The Guardian and this is Science Weekly.
	...

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