CNX Vagus Nerve

Authors
Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Path of the upper portions of the CN IX Glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, and CN XI Accessory1

Path of the upper portions of the CN IX Glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, and CN XI Accessory

Upper part of medulla spinalis, hindbrain, and midbrain (posterior view)1

Upper part of medulla spinalis, hindbrain, and midbrain (posterior view)

Path of CN IX glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, CN XI Accessory1

Path of CN IX glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, CN XI Accessory
Figure 1: Hypoglossal nerve, cervical plexus, and their respective branches

Clinical Significance

Parkinson’s Disease

Furthermore, it was observed that vagal nerve sections prevented the intestine-to-brain propagation of fibrils and neurodegeneration [11]. Thus, the vagus nerve seems to serve as the conduit for α-syn propagation from the gut to the CNS

Dysfunction

Syndromes involving CN9-12 (CN IX-CNXII) from Table 13-1
Syndrome (Eponym) Nerves Affected Location of Lesion
Collet-Sicard CN IX, X, XI, XII Retroparotid space usually
Lesion may be intracranial or extracranial
Villaret CN IX, X, XI, XII
Plus the sympathetic chain
CN VII is occassionally involved		 Retroparotid or retropharyngeal space
Schmidt CN IX & X Usually intracranial before nerve fibers leave the skull;
Occassionally inferior margin of jugular foramen
Jackson CN IX, X, & XI May be intraparenchymal (medulla);
Usually intracranial before nerve fibers leave the skull
Tapia CN X & XII
(CNXI and the sympathetic chain are occassionally involved)		 Usually high in the neck
Garcin (hemibase syndrome) All Cranial Nerves on one side
(often incomplete)		 Often infiltrative;
Arising from base of skull (especially nasopharyngeal carcinoma)

Interventions

Vagal Nerve stimulation (non-invasive)

References

1.
Gray H. Anatomy of the Human Body. 20th ed. (Lewis WH, ed.). Lea & Febiger; 1918. https://www.bartleby.com/107/
2.
Montalbán-Rodríguez A, Abalo R, López-Gómez L. From the Gut to the Brain: The Role of Enteric Glial Cells and Their Involvement in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024;25(2):1294. doi:10.3390/ijms25021294
3.
Brazis PW, Masdeu JC, Biller J. Localization in Clinical Neurology. 8th ed. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2022.

Citation

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