迷走神经的治愈潜力

The healing potential of the brain’s most interconnected nerve intrigues researchers BY JENA PINCOTT ILLUSTRATION BY NOEMI FABRA T HE VAGUS NERVE IS A VINE of nerve fibers with roots in nearly every organ and shoots in the brain. It helps us detect a racing heart, rising blood pressure, stom- achache, discomfort, an overzealous immune system and even alarm calls from microbes in our gut. When it senses trouble, the vagus helps to steady our heart, soothe our stomach, rein in our immune system and calm us down. Wellness influencers claim we can ice, tone or zap the vagus nerve to fix almost anything—long COVID, headaches, poor memory, extra pounds, the blues. Much of that hype is unfounded. …