Source status: established anatomical and physiological term.
The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve. It carries sensory and motor information and contributes parasympathetic regulation across several organs and bodily functions.
It is not a single “safety nerve,” and a feeling of calm, shutdown or connection cannot identify vagal activity on its own. Claims about vagal tone, heart-rate variability and emotional health require precise measurement and careful limits.
Different from: Polyvagal Theory. The vagus nerve is anatomy. Polyvagal Theory is a proposed framework whose distinctive claims remain debated.
Related: Autonomic Nervous System; Polyvagal Theory; Regulation; Arousal.
