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.

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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,

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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.

The Vagus Nerve – Cranial Nerve X

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