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The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

quantamagazine.org

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Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#51

Post by computerdork »

metabagel wrote: post #47
computerdork wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No problem at all, great question because, as you know with your own pain, complex health problems are difficult to solve. Actually yeah, have been basically eat a low-ish inflammatory diet for ~25 years. Ever since in my twenties, realized that I had some major health problem, took my general health very seriously, and have been eating healthy since then (eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and only…

I have had a couple of bouts of very painful trigeminal neuralgia, which was successfully treated with carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant). The latest bout was most likely caused by Covid. I just wonder if there is a drug which can reduce nerve sensitivity, although I guess this is a well explored topic for you. I have not continued the carbamazepine. In both cases, I used it for about a couple of weeks, and then stop…

Good to hear the pain medication worked for you! Have tried a few myself. They work okay, but not well enough that I'd like to take them for the rest of my life - yeah, unlike your temporary pain, my unfortunately came back after stopping the drugs.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#52

Post by devilbunny »

mrexroad wrote: post #48
devilbunny wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, really: nobody has completely textbook anatomy. Think of it like those blended-face photos. Anatomy books describe that.

I was being prepped for wrist/arm surgery years back and the anesthesiologist got a bit flummoxed and muttere, “huh, that’s strange… let’s get an ultrasound” while trying to administer a nerve block on my arm. I asked what and they ”oh, it’s nothing to worry about, but your nerve isn’t where it is supposed to be…”, and then knocked me out before I could ask anything else.

That’s why we use ultrasound on practically every block we do today.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#53

Post by dwaltrip »

fsckboy wrote: post #12

> The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection if it does, then the vagus nerve orchestrates the brain-body connection. the mind-body problem, or if you prefer the mind-brain problem, remains unsolved. and apparently, mind-brain confusion persists as well.

Mind-body is the term that’s used in this context.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#55

Post by ProllyInfamous »

stephenitis wrote: post #6
nojs wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does one get this chance?

I watched a fullautopsy in a theater high school at the Walter Reed National Military, followed by an open heart surgery. I'm sure there are videos of this. Beware it's a lot they pick apart the human body.

>it's a lot they pick apart the human body.

The chest opener is one of the scarier physical tools within surgery... "ca-RACK-k-k-k-KK"

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#56

Post by ProllyInfamous »

RoboTeddy wrote: post #5
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #3

I have extracted this (and other) nerves from cadavers, and this circuitous cranial nerve (XII?) is as beautiful and complex as the multibranch plexus -es (e.g. brachial ). So delicate. Human anatomy, at first glance, often seems wrongly-engineered. After you've worked inside dozens of people, you begin to realize that everybody is unique — and nobody is "textbook" anatomy. Who knows what all this goop even does?! If…

> My hope is that my own cadaver is ripped apart by somebody as crazy/appreciative as me =D https://meded.ucsf.edu/willed-body-program :)

For Texans, UNT has both a medical school and an anatomy farm.

https://www.unthsc.edu/center-for-anatomical-sciences/willed...

I had a blast.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#57

Post by m463 »

ProllyInfamous wrote: post #3

I have extracted this (and other) nerves from cadavers, and this circuitous cranial nerve (XII?) is as beautiful and complex as the multibranch plexus -es (e.g. brachial ). So delicate. Human anatomy, at first glance, often seems wrongly-engineered. After you've worked inside dozens of people, you begin to realize that everybody is unique — and nobody is "textbook" anatomy. Who knows what all this goop even does?! If…

> nobody is "textbook" anatomy

And I think with "most of the cells in your body are not you" and gut biomes and more...

I think everyone is their own ecosystem too.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#58

Post by ProllyInfamous »

breck wrote: post #14
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #3

I have extracted this (and other) nerves from cadavers, and this circuitous cranial nerve (XII?) is as beautiful and complex as the multibranch plexus -es (e.g. brachial ). So delicate. Human anatomy, at first glance, often seems wrongly-engineered. After you've worked inside dozens of people, you begin to realize that everybody is unique — and nobody is "textbook" anatomy. Who knows what all this goop even does?! If…

> If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend this humbling human experience. Not as good as doing your own dissection, but a million times better than an anatomy book is visiting a plastination exhibit: https://breckyunits.com/ketoneMap.html

I attended the Bodies Exhibit c. 2007/8, which was a bunch of deceased Chinese prisoners preserved without consent... but it was still really cool.

Models of circulatory systems with plastesizers and then all other flesh removed — incredible and complex and unique-to-each-human.

2008/9 I did anatomy prosections and had an absolute blast, but ultimately did not become licensed.

Re: The vagus nerve orchestrates the mind-body connection

#59

Post by burnte »

ViktorRay wrote: post #13
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #3

I have extracted this (and other) nerves from cadavers, and this circuitous cranial nerve (XII?) is as beautiful and complex as the multibranch plexus -es (e.g. brachial ). So delicate. Human anatomy, at first glance, often seems wrongly-engineered. After you've worked inside dozens of people, you begin to realize that everybody is unique — and nobody is "textbook" anatomy. Who knows what all this goop even does?! If…

It’s interesting you mention “Nobody is textbook anatomy” I know you’re exaggerating for poetic effect but this might actually be true in some parts of the human anatomy. For example the description of the anatomy of vessels and anastomoses around the knee…I have had a professor tell me that the standard anatomical descriptions for this might all essentially be fiction. Basically the variation in some of these vessel…

> I know you’re exaggerating for poetic effect but this might actually be true in some parts of the human anatomy.

I had an ingrown toenail fixed. There is a nerve that comes in and branches in two in the bug toe. In my toe it branches into three!

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