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vagal

vagal

1 9.4
Relating to the nerve that helps control the heart, lungs, and stomach
  • adjective
  • /ˈveɪɡəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vagal
  • So what sorts of vagal stimulation are you doing, given that the vagal pathway is so extensive?
  • vagal tone
  • vagal stimulation
  • vagal nerve

Vagal tone reflects the degree to which there is tonic, meaning ongoing vagal influence on the heart.

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Examples

  • The implementation of vagal interventions has shown positive effects on heart health and emotional well-being.

  • As you breathe in, activate your vagal nerve, which calms down your body and your brain.

  • And in fact, in John Gottman's work, going back has also been related to this vagal tone ability.

  • Are there any other vagal practises that you recommend or that you like there?

  • Vagal tone reflects the degree to which there is tonic, meaning ongoing vagal influence on the heart.

  • She may be getting too much vagal stimulation.

  • Massage therapy may enhance vagal control of the heart by improving a deficient physiological inhibitory system.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Incorporating additional measures such as vagal tone and EEG might also help explain the relationship between massage therapy and on-task behavior in ADHD children.

    Academic text (2003)
  • In the present study, the increased attentiveness observed in the classroom (using the Conners scale) could be related to enhanced vagal activity that occurs during massage therapy (Field, 1990).

    Academic text (2003)
  • Deep breathing exercises can help stimulate the vagal nerve, promoting relaxation and lowering heart rate.

Synonyms

pneumogastric
vsvagal
  • Archaic
9.9

Relating to the main nerve that connects the brain to the heart, lungs, and stomach

focuses more on heart and digestive tract control by the nerve

Surface Forms

vagal positive

Morphology

vagal = vagus (semi-transparent) = vag + al

The word is built with the productive adjective suffix '-al', but its base 'vagus' is a specialized learned form, so the connection is only partly obvious to many learners.

Etymology

The word vagal comes from the Latin vagus, which means 'wandering'. Think of the vagus nerve as a long 'wandering' nerve that goes from the brain to the heart, lungs and gut, so vagal means 'relating to' that nerve and its effects on those organs.