Anatomy · MU Sofia

PNS · 203. Vagus nerve (X).

Covers the vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve and the body's main parasympathetic nerve, going through its motor, sensory and parasympathetic functions and their matching nuclei in the medulla. It then traces the course from the jugular foramen through the jugular and nodose ganglia, down the neck and into the thorax and abdomen, noting the differing relations of the right and left trunks to the oesophagus and the branches given off in each region.

Inside: 5 sections · 1 table · 10 flashcards · 3 min

Topic 187 of 264 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Anatomy (Dental Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 5 sections, about 400 words (3 min of reading), with 10 flashcards.

In this note

  1. VAGUS NERVE (X C.N)
  2. Functions:
  3. Nuclei:
  4. Course:
  5. Branches:

VAGUS NERVE (X C.N)

jugular foramen 9,10,11

  • It is the longest cranial nerve.
  • The vagus n. is the main parasympathetic nerve in the body.

Functions:

  • Motor: to all muscles developed from 4th and 6th pharyngeal arches: muscles of the palate (except tensor palati), all muscles of pharynx (except stylopharyngeus), and all muscles of the larynx.
  • Sensory: it carries special sensation (taste) from posterior end of the tongue, valleculae, and epiglottis. It carries also general sensations from the distribution of its auricular branch and general visceral sensations from organs supplied by it.
  • Parasympathetic: to involuntary muscles of the thorax (heart and bronchi) and abdomen (GIT down to the end of midgut).

Nuclei:

  • Motor nucleus: it is the middle part of nucleus ambiguus. SVE fibers.
  • Sensory nuclei:
  • Nucleus solitarius: its lower part receives taste sensation from posterior end of tongue, valleculae, and epiglottis. GVA | SVA
  • Spinal nucleus of trigeminal: it receives general sensations along the auricular branch of vagus. GSA
  • Parasympathetic nucleus: it is the dorsal nucleus of vagus, located beneath the vagal trigone of the medulla oblongata. It is responsible for supply of involuntary muscles of thorax and abdomen (heart, bronchi, GIT).

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