The Valsalva maneuver is a breathing method that may slow your heart when it’s beating too fast. It works by having you breathe out strongly through your mouth while you close your nose tight.

When it comes to brain health, the vagus nerve might not always be top of mind. But this mighty nerve serves an important function: It sends information between your brain and other vital organs ...

Quick actions that engage the vagus nerve may slow it down. A fast heart rate can have numerous causes, such as anxiety, dehydration or cardiac arrhythmia. Accessibility statement Skip to main content ...

The vagus nerve has been associated with a plethora of bodily functions from mood to immunity and digestion. “It’s the ...

The vagus nerve originates from four clusters of neurons in the brain’s medulla, where the brainstem attaches to the spinal cord. Most nerves in our body branch directly from the spinal cord ...

Implantable vagus nerve stimulation devices have long been used to treat epilepsy, depression and stroke. A new crop of buzzy non-invasive VNS gadgets promises to relieve stress and improve sleep.

Vagus nerve stimulation therapy improved the symptoms of treatment-resistant depression for nearly 500 participants in a major clinical trial.

The gut microbiota and lumenal microbial metabolites promote vagal afferent nerve activity. Credit: iScience (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111699 ...