Brain Fog: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms, Treatments

We all know that feeling; We try to talk to others and cannot find the words. We forget the words we want to say, or know the words we want to say but cannot seem to spit them out. We forget activities and memories. We forget what we need to do unless we write it down. It is VERY frustrating to everyone involved.

Source: Imgur



My husband will get very frustrated with me, because unless I religiously write things down, I forget things all of the time. He has a trip he's going on for work next week, actually, and I forgot the conversation we had about it when he told me he was going. Now, I write in my Gastroparesis Journal constantly and I use my Google Calendar to remind myself of appointments, when my husband has work out of town, birthdays, and everything that's important to me. I love Google Calendar because they will send you reminders like text messages, emails, and popups.

I have to make lists of things I need to do that day. My memory used to be amazing, but since I was officially diagnosed with Gastroparesis, my memory is NOT what it used to be. I could remember dates without issue, remember to go to the pharmacy, and that kind of thing. Now, it is like I have no short term memory and my long term memory seems blocked, most of the time. I cannot even tell you all of what I posted on Facebook yesterday, for instance.

I wanted to research into what causes memory loss, which I call "GP Brain," others call it "Brain Fog," and if there is any hope of reversal. I do know that I need to recognize my limitations, now that I have it, and try to adjust accordingly. I ask others to be patient with me and explain my situation a little bit to them. I carry notebooks and my journal in my purse. And, like I said, I use Google Calendar. It is hard to adjust when you had an excellent memory before, but life is about adjustments and it isn't always fair. You need to find what works for you.

Source: http://edoriumjournals.com/blog/brain-fog-get-rid/ They state, "When it comes to the brain, the urgency and importance of the issue increases manifold because life productivity takes a serious hit if the brain isn’t functioning at its optimal best. A muddled sensation though normal at occasional times, chronic forgetfulness or mental slowness is not and therefore, one should not take brain fog lightly at all."





What Is Brain Fog?


According to the Edorium Journal, they describe these issues at the cause for Brain Fog:

"With the progression of age the deterioration of memory is the norm, a part of the natural process of life. However, the slow fading of memory is sometimes aggravated in the prime of life and even young people at times, experience clouded feelings and momentary lapses in thinking. This phenomenon is commonly known as brain fog or brain fatigue. However, this is not a mental disorder or a medical condition in any sense rather it is a term to explain certain symptoms that can affect a person’s ability to think clearly.

Whenever someone experiences forgetfulness, feels utterly confused while tying up thoughts, or has disorganized thinking, or has inability to focus or is hard pressed to put their thoughts into words, they are experiencing brain fog. This fatigue of the brain can be caused or exacerbated by certain conditions or situations. An understanding of the common triggers that cause brain fog is necessary to avoid its occurrences as well as to maintain good health practices. A clear-thinking and healthy brain is the pre-requisite to a healthy living.

Whenever someone experiences forgetfulness, feels utterly confused while tying up thoughts, or has disorganized thinking, or has inability to focus or is hard pressed to put their thoughts into words, they are experiencing brain fog. This fatigue of the brain can be caused or exacerbated by certain conditions or situations. An understanding of the common triggers that cause brain fog is necessary to avoid its occurrences as well as to maintain good health practices. A clear-thinking and healthy brain is the pre-requisite to a healthy living."

Source: Imgur



What Are The Symptoms of Brain Fog?


Additionally, according to Edorium Journal,

"This mental fog or cognitive dysfunction as it is also known shows a number of symptoms.

1. low energy or tiredness, including chronic fatigue syndrome,

2. irritability due to inability in concentration,

3. poor working memory causing hindrance in executive functions,

4. decreased ability in memorizing or remembering things,

5. impaired or delayed information processing ability,

6. dwindling motivation due to mental confusion, etc."

Source: Located at the bottom of image.




These indicators point towards the clouding of consciousness whereby an inflammation of the brain due to certain underlying causes prohibits us from enjoying the benefits of a fully-functional brain. If these causes are ascertained then the affects of brain fog are reversible. The most important and also the most common causes of brain fog can be enumerated as the following:


1. A lot of women find it difficult to remember things or process information swiftly during pregnancy. Carrying and nurturing a baby changes the body in a lot of ways and certain chemicals, hormones, etc released during this period to nourish the baby may bring on problems associated with memory.

2. Poor diet is a major reason affecting the brain and there are certain food elements that are not brain-healthy and we should be aware of these. [See my article on Malnutrition here and what it can do to the body: http://www.emilysstomach.com/2013/06/information-about-malnutrition.html]

3. Eating for a healthy functioning brain is simple and should principally consist in avoiding excess sugar and extra calories. Also, half of your daily food intake should ideally include fruits and vegetables. Nutritional deficiencies such as, Vitamin B12 deficiency lower brain functioning ability. [See my article on Vitamin Deficiencies and what they can do here: http://www.emilysstomach.com/2013/06/the-impact-of-vitamin-deficiencies.html]

4. Neurological and vascular problems such as caused by diseases like, Multiple Sclerosis.

5. Medication induced after-effects and side-effects such as cancer treatment related or anti-cholinergic drugs, etc.

6. Autoimmune, infectious, psychiatric illnesses also debilitate brain performance.

7. Lifestyle factors including sleep disorders, alcohol abuse, depression, etc."

Source: Imgur





How Do You Cope With Brain Fog?

Like I said before, I carry around a GP Journal I write things in, I also have a smaller notepad to write things down, and I use Google Calendar. Everyone is different, so you will have to find a method that works for you. I will try to list as many ideas as I can to help.

Molly's Fund has wonderful ideas below on how to cope with Brain Fog.

Source: http://www.mollysfund.org

Edorium Journal suggests doing these things to cope with Brain Fog,

"Now that the causes are known, actionable steps to combat brain fog can be clearly undertaken. In case of diseases, symptomatic treatments and other alternative steps to naturally prevent the progression of disease can assist in preventing brain fog. Also, an overall strategy for a healthy brain should leverage diet, exercise, food and supplements together. There are a number of things that can be done to improve brain power even socialization helps in sharpening the intellect.

Although at times people experiencing brain fog are too depressed and poorly motivated to initiate changes or take up improvement steps. In such cases, first comes a proper sleep. Proper and plenty of sleep gives the brain time to clean up residual debris of the thinking day, consolidate the memories of the day and create new brain cells to replace the ones lost during the day. Thus, boosting cognitive function and performance, brain hormonal balance and resulting in a rested person. It’s not just a proverb when they say, you should sleep on it.

Lastly, exercise to release endorphins and eliminate the free radicals, and meditate to relieve stress. These gems should help you banish brain fog effectively."

"The Mighty," suggests seventeen phone applications that can help you with Brain Fog here: https://themighty.com/2017/08/apps-brain-fog-organization/.

One of my friends wrote an article in "The Mighty" regarding brain fog, which you can find here: https://themighty.com/2019/05/what-brain-fog-is-like/?fbclid=IwAR1hMd8mDYPscpINaUbDXsAYHO_qlVT_rN_18WdnF56LLILPNHB0Ui6RJfc


Here are some natural treatments regarding Brain Fog,

The source and for more natural treatments on how to help Brain Fog, can be found here: https://draxe.com/brain-fog/.



And finally, if you have an invisible illness, some of these treatments for Brain Fog might be similar to the ones above but I wanted to share it anyway. This is from "Fibromyalgia News Today" and they recommend this: https://fibromyalgianewstoday.com/2017/05/25/9-ways-manage-brain-fog/.

Source: Imgur





In Conclusion:


I know that with an invisible illness, like Gastroparesis, it's really hard for us to eat as some of these helpful hints suggest. I would recommend talking with your doctor about Brain Fog, because we are all different. What works for someone else may not work for me. I have to come up with a mixture of suggestions that might work for me, personally. I usually write out questions for the doctor before I go, so I don't forget anything. I make notes as he talks to me as well. Also, I put a magnetic shopping list on the fridge so that my household can write stuff down as we use it, instead of making a list from scratch when we need to go to the store. That helps me so much and takes the pressure off of any of us if we did it as a mass list, because we would all forget things.

I hope this article will help you understand Brain Fog a bit better. It's frustrating to go through and hard to deal with, but it is something that can be dealt with. If you battle Brain Fog, just know that you are NOT alone. Just stay strong and keep your chin up. I will try to update this article as I learn more, so that you can keep updated on new treatments, symptoms, or any changes.

Essential Tremor

Two months ago, I began shaking in my hands and would eventually have my legs give out, and spasm. It is terrifying, since I do not know what is causing it. I do not think it was a cause of hypoglycemia, because I would have this shaking before without hypoglycemia. I do not know if it related to gastroparesis or not, since the vagus nerve is damaged or even dehydration, or malnutrition. A friend suggested it was an essential tremor, so I wanted to do some research on it.



This is what happens to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_PsBOodlB0&feature=youtu.be





According to the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/essential-tremor/home/ovc-20177826),

"Essential tremor is a nervous system (neurological) disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. It can affect almost any part of your body, but the trembling occurs most often in your hands — especially when you do simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass or tying shoelaces.

It's usually not a dangerous condition, but essential tremor typically worsens over time and can be severe in some people. Other conditions don't cause essential tremor, although it's sometimes confused with Parkinson's disease.

Essential tremor can occur at any age but is most common in people age 40 and older.


Essential tremor signs and symptoms:

Begin gradually, usually on one side of the body
Worsen with movement
Usually occur in the hands first, affecting one hand or both hands
Can include a "yes-yes" or "no-no" motion of the head
May be aggravated by emotional stress, fatigue, caffeine or temperature extremes
Essential tremor vs. Parkinson's disease



Many people associate tremors with Parkinson's disease, but the two conditions differ in key ways:

Timing of tremors. Essential tremor of the hands usually occurs when you use your hands. Tremors from Parkinson's disease are most prominent when your hands are at your sides or resting in your lap.

Associated conditions. Essential tremor doesn't cause other health problems, but Parkinson's disease is associated with stooped posture, slow movement and shuffling gait. However, people with essential tremor sometimes develop other neurological signs and symptoms, such as an unsteady gait (ataxia).

Parts of body affected. Essential tremor mainly involves your hands, head and voice. Parkinson's disease tremors usually start in your hands, and can affect your legs, chin and other parts of your body.



Causes

About half of essential tremor cases appear to result from a genetic mutation, although a specific gene hasn't been identified. This form is referred to as familial tremor. It isn't clear what causes essential tremor in people without a known genetic mutation.



Risk factors

Illustration showing autosomal dominant inheritance pattern
Autosomal dominant inheritance pattern


Known risk factors for essential tremor include:

Genetic mutation. The inherited variety of essential tremor (familial tremor) is an autosomal dominant disorder. A defective gene from just one parent is needed to pass on the condition.

If you have a parent with a genetic mutation for essential tremor, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the disorder yourself.

Age. Essential tremor is more common in people age 40 and older.



Complications

Essential tremor isn't life-threatening, but symptoms often worsen over time. If the tremors become severe, you might find it difficult to:

Hold a cup or glass without spilling
Eat normally
Put on makeup or shave
Talk, if your voice box or tongue is affected
Write legibly



Treatment


Some people with essential tremor don't require treatment if their symptoms are mild. But if your essential tremor is making it difficult to work or perform daily activities, discuss treatment options with your doctor.



Medications

Beta blockers. Normally used to treat high blood pressure, beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal) help relieve tremors in some people. Beta blockers may not be an option if you have asthma or certain heart problems. Side effects may include fatigue, lightheadedness or heart problems.

Anti-seizure medications. Epilepsy drugs, such as primidone (Mysoline), may be effective in people who don't respond to beta blockers. Other medications that might be prescribed include gabapentin (Gralise, Neurontin) and topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR). Side effects include drowsiness and nausea, which usually disappear within a short time.

Tranquilizers. Doctors may use drugs such as alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin) to treat people for whom tension or anxiety worsens tremors. Side effects can include fatigue or mild sedation. These medications should be used with caution because they can be habit-forming.
OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections. Botox injections might be useful in treating some types of tremors, especially head and voice tremors. Botox injections can improve tremors for up to three months at a time.

However, if Botox is used to treat hand tremors, it can cause weakness in your fingers. If it's used to treat voice tremors, it can cause a hoarse voice and difficulty swallowing.



Therapy

Doctors might suggest physical or occupational therapy. Physical therapists can teach you exercises to improve your muscle strength, control and coordination.

Occupational therapists can help you adapt to living with essential tremor. Therapists might suggest adaptive devices to reduce the effect of tremors on your daily activities, including:

Heavier glasses and utensils
Wrist weights
Wider, heavier writing tools, such as wide-grip pens




Surgery


Deep brain stimulation might be an option if your tremors are severely disabling and you don't respond to medications.

In deep brain stimulation, doctors insert a long, thin electrical probe into the portion of your brain that causes your tremors (thalamus). A wire from the probe runs under your skin to a pacemaker-like device (neurostimulator) implanted in your chest. This device transmits painless electrical pulses to interrupt signals from your thalamus that may be causing your tremors.

Side effects of surgery can include equipment malfunction; problems with motor control, speech or balance; headaches; and weakness. Side effects often go away after some time or adjustment of the device."

According to WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/brain/essential-tremor-basics#1),

"Essential Tremor (ET) is a nerve disorder characterized by uncontrollable shaking, or 'tremors,' in different parts and on different sides of the body. Areas affected often include the hands, arms, head, larynx (voice box), tongue, and chin. The lower body is rarely affected.

ET is not a life-threatening disorder, unless it prevents a person from caring for him or herself. Most people are able to live normal lives with this condition -- although they may find everyday activities like eating, dressing, or writing difficult. It is only when the tremors become severe that they actually cause disability.



What Causes Essential Tremor?

The true cause of Essential Tremor is still not understood, but it is thought that the abnormal electrical brain activity that causes tremor is processed through the thalamus. The thalamus is a structure deep in the brain that coordinates and controls muscle activity.

Genetics is responsible for causing ET in half of all people with the condition. A child born to a parent with ET will have up to a 50% chance of inheriting the responsible gene, but may never actually experience symptoms. Although ET is more common in the elderly -- and symptoms become more pronounced with age -- it is not a part of the natural aging process."

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Tremor-Fact-Sheet),

"What is tremor?

Tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction leading to shaking movements in one or more parts of the body. It is a common movement disorder that most often affects the hands but can also occur in the arms, head, vocal cords, torso, and legs. Tremor may be intermittent (occurring at separate times, with breaks) or constant. It can occur sporadically (on its own) or happen as a result of another disorder.

Tremor is most common among middle-aged and older adults, although it can occur at any age. The disorder generally affects men and women equally.

Tremor is not life threatening. However, it can be embarrassing and even disabling, making it difficult or even impossible to perform work and daily life tasks.



What causes tremor?

Generally, tremor is caused by a problem in the deep parts of the brain that control movements. Most types of tremor have no known cause, although there are some forms that appear to be inherited and run in families.

Tremor can occur on its own or be a symptom associated with a number of neurological disorders, including:

multiple sclerosis
stroke
traumatic brain injury
neurodegenerative diseases that affect parts of the brain (e.g., Parkinson's disease).


Some other known causes can include:

the use of certain medicines (particular asthma medication, amphetamines, caffeine, corticosteroids, and drugs used for certain psychiatric and neurological disorders)
alcohol abuse or withdrawal
mercury poisoning
overactive thyroid
liver or kidney failure
anxiety or panic.


What are the symptoms of tremor?


Symptoms of tremor may include:

a rhythmic shaking in the hands, arms, head, legs, or torso
shaky voice
difficulty writing or drawing
problems holding and controlling utensils, such as a spoon.
Some tremor may be triggered by or become worse during times of stress or strong emotion, when an individual is physically exhausted, or when a person is in certain postures or makes certain movements."

Image Credit: http://lawrencechen.net/media/blogs/main/ET-factsheet-1.jpg?mtime=1330613603


According to LIVESTRONG (http://www.livestrong.com/article/533883-nutritional-deficiency-and-shaking/),

"Muscle shaking, also called essential tremor or muscle fasciculation, is an uncontrollable twitching of your muscles. Muscle shaking is most noticeable in the hands, but also occurs around the neck, eyes and legs. Muscle shaking and tremors are more common among the elderly and sometimes related to senility diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Nutritional deficiency is a common cause of abnormal muscle tone and may lead to chronic shaking or twitching of your muscles. Consult with your doctor if your notice that you are unable to keep your hands steady.



Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is defined as low blood sugar, which refers to the amount of glucose circulating in your bloodstream. Glucose is the primary fuel for your brain and needed by virtually all tissues to produce energy. Skipping meals is the most common cause of hypoglycemia, although it also occurs in diabetics who take too much insulin. A primary symptom of hypoglycemia is widespread muscle tremors and weakness, although other common symptoms include 'brain fog,' confusion, fatigue and lethargy, according to the book 'Functional Biochemistry in Health and Disease.' Eating refined carbohydrates or drinking fruit juice often quickly resolves muscle shaking caused by hypoglycemia.



B-Vitamin Deficiency

B-vitamins are needed by your body for metabolism, energy production, nerve function and conductance, enzyme synthesis and red blood cell production. B-vitamins are quickly depleted by stress, toxins and alcoholism, and deficiencies are common in people with poor diets and malabsorption issues, according to 'Metabolic Regulation: A Human Perspective.' B-vitamins most often linked to muscle shakiness because of their importance to nerve function include B-1 or thiamine, B-6 or pyridoxine and B-12 or cobalamin. Deficiencies in these vitamins invariably affect brain function and lead to other neurological problems such as reduced cognition, depression, numbness and tingling in the limbs and loss of balance. Red meat, chicken, fish, beans, nuts and green leafy vegetables are all good sources of B-vitamins.



Magnesium Deficiency

Minerals are also important for nerve function and normal muscle tone. Magnesium is especially important for the relaxation of muscles. Early symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include fatigue, irritability, insomnia and muscle tremors, twitching or shaking, according to 'Functional Biochemistry in Health and Disease.' Prolonged deficiency affects the electrical waves in your brain, heart and skeletal muscles and may be related to chronic muscle cramping and restless leg syndrome. If magnesium deficiency is the cause of your muscle shaking, then magnesium supplementation can lead to dramatic improvement within hours to days.



Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance

Dehydration occurs from not drinking enough water or quickly losing too much water from excessive urination, diarrhea or blood loss. Water loss is accompanied by loss of electrolytes such as potassium and sodium, which are salts of the body needed for normal muscle control and nerve function. An early sign of dehydration is muscle shaking or tremors, but muscle cramping, irregular heart beat, fatigue and reduced brain function can quickly follow if your body is not replenished with water and electrolytes. Drinking water devoid of minerals and electrolytes is not enough to return a severely dehydrated person back to health."

So, I guess it does occur during hypoglycemia, dehydration, vitamin deficiencies, or malnutrition. I love to learn new things and never heard of ET before.

Special thanks to my friend, Joette, for helping me and inspiring this article.

Information about The Vagus Nerve

Dedicated to Cheryl, my inspiration for this article.

Image taken from: http://autismcoach.com/blog-info-articles/the-vagus-nerve-core-piece-of-the-autism-puzzle-part-1-what-is-this-and-why-is-it-important

I know I try not to cite too many articles but I wanted to cite this one. It has really great information about the vagus nerve and what it does for your body. I do not know much about the vagus nerve, so I need help with research about it, hence the quoted articles. I'm curious as to if the vagus nerve, if damaged and causes gastroparesis, might cause other issues as well. It's a question I've had on my mind for a long time. I know some of my friends have heart issues and the vagus nerve runs by the heart. I also know that I get what I call, "gp fog" which could be a result of a damaged vagus nerve. So, I wanted to do some research into it and try to answer some of my questions and hopefully, educate and answer some of your questions as well. Maybe the more exposure we bring to complications like this, the doctors might be able to take the information and do something with it - with research or anything that could help us.

"The vagus nerve provides 75% of all parasympathetic outflow. When the brain triggers parasympathetic activation, the vagus nerve carries the messages to the heart (decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure), to the lungs (to constrict the respiratory passageways), to every organ in the digestive system (to increase motility and blood flow to the digestive tract, to promote defecation), to the kidneys and bladder (to promote urination) and to reproductive organs (to aid in sexual arousal).

2. It communicates messages between the gut and the brain. 80% of the vagus nerve’s fibers (4 out of 5 traffic lanes) deliver information from the enteric nervous system (the second brain in the gut) to the brain.

3. It regulates the muscle movement necessary to keep you breathing. Your brain communicates with your diaphragm via the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from the vagus nerve to keep you breathing. If the vagus nerve stops releasing acetylcholine, you will stop breathing.

4. It helps decrease inflammation. About 15 years ago neurosurgeon Kevin Tracey and his colleagues found that a tiny amount of an anti-inflammatory drug in rats’ brains blocked the production of an inflammatory molecule in the liver and spleen. How did the signal get there? The researchers began cutting nerves one at a time to find the ones responsible for transmitting the anti-inflammatory signal from brain to body. “When we cut the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain stem down to the spleen, the effect was gone,” says Tracey, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y. Later they discovered that stimulating undamaged vagus fibers also had anti-inflammatory effects in animals (without the drug), which they attributed to the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by the vagus nerve.


5. It has profound control over heart rate and blood pressure. For example, patients with heart failure, in which the heart fails to pump enough blood through the body, tend to have less active vagus nerves. Currently multiple studies are underway investigating the effects of vagus stimulation on patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation (where the heart flutters erratically).

6. It helps improve your mood. Research shows that stimulation of the vagus nerve can be an effective treatment for chronic depression that has failed to respond to other treatments. Electrical stimulation of the vagus through a surgically implanted device has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a therapy for patients who don’t get relief from existing treatments.

7. It is essential in fear management. Remember that “gut instinct” that tells you when something isn’t right? Turns out that the vagus nerve plays a major role in that. The signals from your gut get sent to the brain via the vagus nerve, and the signals from the brain travel back to the gut, forming a feedback loop. What if this loop was interrupted – wondered the researchers in a new Swiss study – would that affect innate anxiety and conditioned fear? Turns out it does. In test animals, the brain was still able to send signals down to the stomach, but the brain couldn’t receive signals coming up from the stomach. The research showed that those rats weren’t that afraid to begin with (lower level of innate fear), but once they became afraid, they had trouble overcoming this fear even when the danger was no longer present (longer retention of learned fear). This shows that healthy functioning of the vagus nerve helps us bounce back from stressful situations and overcome fear conditioning.

8. It plays a role in learning and memory. The same Swiss study (above) found that the rats without gut instincts transmitting to the brain via the vagus nerve required significantly longer to re-associate previously “dangerous” environment with the new, “safe” and neutral situation. This shows that the vagus nerve facilitates learning and re-wiring, so to speak. “These new findings about the vagus nerve offer exciting possibility for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stimulation of the vagus nerve might be able to speed up the process by which people with PTSD can learn to reassociate a non-threatening stimuli which triggers anxiety with a neutral and non-traumatic experience”(1). It can also help with healing sexual stress and trauma.

9. It can help relieve cluster headaches. The company electroCore, based in Basking Ridge, N.J., manufactures a small, handheld device that can stimulate the vagus when placed on the throat. The company initially tested the devices to reduce asthma symptoms — relying on the nerve’s anti-inflammatory action. But during testing, patients reported that their headaches were disappearing, says J.P. Errico, CEO of electroCore. Now, the company is investigating the use of an electroCore device to treat chronic cluster headaches." This information was given by: https://www.yogauonline.com/yogau-wellness-blog/vital-vagus-what-vagus-nerve-and-what-does-it-do

The gastric branches (rami gastrici) supply the stomach. The right vagus forms the posterior gastric plexus and the left forms the anterior gastric plexus. The branches lie on the posteroinferior and the anterosuperior surfaces, respectively.

The celiac branches (rami celiaci) are derived mainly from the right vagus nerve. They join the celiac plexus and supply the pancreas, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, and intestine.

The hepatic branches originate from the left vagus. They join the hepatic plexus and through it are distributed to the liver.

Images from: http://autismcoach.com/blog-info-articles/the-vagus-nerve-core-piece-of-the-autism-puzzle-part-1-what-is-this-and-why-is-it-important/

"What happens in the vagus nerve, it turns out, doesn’t stay in the vagus nerve. The longest of the cranial nerves, the vagus nerve is so named because it “wanders” like a vagabond, sending out fibers from your brainstem to your visceral organs. The vagus nerve is literally the captain of your inner nerve center—the parasympathetic nervous system, to be specific. And like a good captain, it does a great job of overseeing a vast range of crucial functions, communicating nerve impulses to every organ in your body. New research has revealed that it may also be the missing link to treating chronic inflammation, and the beginning of an exciting new field of treatment that leaves medications behind. Here are nine facts about this powerful nerve bundle.

1. THE VAGUS NERVE PREVENTS INFLAMMATION.
With a vast network of fibers stationed like spies around all your organs, when the vagus nerve gets wind of the hallmarks of inflammation—cytokines or the inflammatory substance tumor necrosis factor (TNF)—it alerts the brain and elicits anti-inflammatory neurotransmitters via the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. A certain amount of inflammation after injury or illness is normal. But an overabundance is linked to many diseases and conditions, from sepsis to the autoimmune condition rheumatoid arthritis.


2. IT HELPS YOU MAKE MEMORIES.
A University of Virginia study showed success in strengthening memory in rats by stimulating the vagus nerve, which releases the neurotransmitter norepinephrine into the amygdala, consolidating memories. Related studies were done on humans, opening promising treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.


3. IT HELPS YOU BREATHE.
The neurotransmitter acetylcholine, elicited by the vagus nerve, literally gives you the breath of life by telling your lungs to breathe. It’s one of the reasons that botox—often used cosmetically—can be potentially dangerous, because it interrupts your acetylcholine production. You can, however, also manually stimulate your vagus nerve by doing abdominal breathing or holding your breath for four to eight counts.


4. IT’S INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH YOUR HEART.
The vagus nerve is responsible for controlling the heart rate via electrical impulses to the sinoatrial node of the heart, where acetylcholine release slows the pulse. The way doctors determine the “tone” or “strength” of your vagus nerve (and your cardiac health) is by measuring the time between your individual heart beats, and then plotting this on a chart over time. This is your 'heart rate variability.'


5. IT INITIATES YOUR BODY’S RELAXATION RESPONSE.
When your ever-vigilant sympathetic nervous system revs up the fight or flight responses—pouring the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline into your body—the vagus nerve tells your body to chill out by releasing acetylcholine. Its tendrils extend to many organs, acting like fiberoptic cables that send instructions to release enzymes and proteins like prolactin, vasopressin, and oxytocin, which calm you down. People with a stronger vagus response may be more likely to recover more quickly after stress, injury, or illness.


6. IT TRANSLATES BETWEEN YOUR GUT AND YOUR BRAIN.
Your gut uses the vagus nerve like a walkie-talkie to tell your brain how you’re feeling via electric impulses called “action potentials". Your gut feelings are very real.


7. OVERSTIMULATION OF THE VAGUS NERVE IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FAINTING.
If you tremble or get queasy at the sight of blood or while getting a flu shot, you’re not weak; you’re experiencing “vagal syncope.” Your body, responding to stress, overstimulates the vagus nerve, causing your blood pressure and heart rate to drop. During extreme syncope, blood flow is restricted to your brain, and you lose consciousness. But most of the time you just have to sit or lie down for the symptoms to subside.


8. ELECTRIC STIMULATION OF THE VAGUS NERVE REDUCES INFLAMMATION AND MAY INHIBIT IT ALTOGETHER.
Truly breaking new medical ground, neurosurgeon Kevin Tracey was the first to prove that stimulating the vagus nerve can significantly reduce inflammation. Results on rats were so successful, he reproduced the experiment in humans with stunning results. The creation of implants to stimulate the vagus nerve via electronic implants showed a drastic reduction, and even remission, in rheumatoid arthritis—which has no known cure and is often treated with the toxic cancer drug methotraxate—hemorrhagic shock, and other equally serious inflammatory syndromes.


9. VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION HAS CREATED A NEW FIELD OF MEDICINE.
Spurred on by the success of vagal nerve stimulation to treat inflammation and epilepsy, a burgeoning field of medical study, known as “bioelectronics,” may be the future of medicine. Using implants that deliver electric impulses to various body parts, scientists and doctors hope to treat illness with fewer medications and fewer side effects."

Information from: http://mentalfloss.com/article/65710/9-nervy-facts-about-vagus-nerve


I'm sorry for all of the block quotes. I really don't know much about the vagus nerve, so I wanted to read up on it. I feel like it's something I should be aware of since I have Gastroparesis and a damaged vagus nerve and I wanted to spread the knowledge to you. Feel free to do more research on the matter and if I have left out any important information, let me know. I did not know that the vagus nerve can control your "gut feeling." I'm still learning about gastroparesis and what it is doing to my body. I know a lot of my friends have a hard time remembering things, myself included, and a lot of my friends have heart issues. I wonder if it's all related to the damaged vagus nerve by the stomach. I would love a doctor to do research and confirm what a damaged vagus nerve can do to the whole body, and not just the stomach.

The Mayo Clinic offers treatment for a stimulation of the vagus nerve. Their website says,

"Vagus nerve stimulation is a procedure that involves implantation of a device that stimulates the vagus nerve with electrical impulses.

There's one vagus nerve on each side of your body, running from your brainstem through your neck to your chest and abdomen.

Vagus nerve stimulation is most often used to treat epilepsy when other treatments haven't worked. Vagus nerve stimulation is also a treatment for hard-to-treat depression that hasn't responded to typical therapies.

Researchers are currently studying vagus nerve stimulation as a potential treatment for a variety of conditions, including multiple sclerosis, headache, pain and Alzheimer's disease.

In conventional vagus nerve stimulation, a device is surgically implanted under the skin on your chest, and a wire is threaded under your skin connecting the device to the left vagus nerve. The right vagus nerve is not used because it carries fibers that supply nerves to the heart.

When activated, the device sends electrical signals along the vagus nerve to your brainstem, which then sends signals to certain areas in your brain.

New, noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation devices, which do not require surgical implantation, have been approved for use in Europe to treat epilepsy, depression and pain but have not yet been approved for use in the U.S.

An implantable device that stimulates the right vagus nerve is also under study for the treatment of heart failure."

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vagus-nerve-stimulation/home/ovc-20167755

I hope one day, there will be some kind of treatment to help those with gastroparesis that includes the vagus nerve. I'm optimistic and I'm hoping there will be research into the matter. If we could repair the vagus nerve in some way, it would save so many lives, or even find treatment to get it to work properly. I'm not going to lose hope.

Source: http://thehigherlearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/vagus-nerve.jpg



There is an article I wrote on the Vagus Nerve Stimulator, which may help your stomach muscles contract and help with gastric emptying. It can be found here: http://www.emilysstomach.com/2017/06/the-vagus-nerve-stimulator.html

Additionally, I also wrote an article entitled, "The Brain in Your Gut" which the deals with the Vagus Nerve and Serotonin being made in your stomach. It can be found here: http://www.emilysstomach.com/2017/09/the-brain-in-your-gut.html

Source: https://feedyeti.com/hashtag.php?q=Gastroparesis




According to Psychology Spot,

"Vagus nerve and anxiety: Everything You Need to Know


The vagus nerve is the tenth of twelve pairs of cranial nerves and is the longest in the body. In fact, the word vagus means 'vagabond' in Latin, and perfectly illustrates the path of this nerve extending through various organs of the body.

The vagus nerve is born in the cranial box, exactly in the spinal cord, and falls into the neck developing on two branches and reaching the abdomen passing through the various organs along the path.

The vagus nerve intervenes in the sensitivity of the respiratory mucous membranes and transmits the rhythm, strength and frequency of breathing. It affects the pharynx, the larynx, the esophagus, the trachea and the bronchi, as well as administering nerve fibers to the heart, stomach, pancreas and liver. But it also carries out the inverse mission; that is, it receives signals from the internal organs and sends them to the brain to be processed.

Although perhaps the most interesting thing is the relationship between the vagus nerve and anxiety as it also transmits signals of nervousness or calm, anger or relaxation.


To understand the link between the vagus nerve and anxiety we need to understand that the nervous system is made up of two 'opposite' systems that constantly send information to the brain.

The sympathetic nervous system prepares us for action, so it mainly feeds hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. The parasympathetic nervous system intervenes in rest and relaxation.

In practice, both systems work as accelerator and decelerator. The sympathetic nervous system accelerates and activates us as the parasympathetic nervous system helps us relax and reduce the speed, so it uses neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, which decreases the heart rate and blood pressure so that the organs work slower.



The functions of the vagus nerve

The vagus nerve controls the parasympathetic system. It intervenes in many functions, from mouth movements to heartbeat, and likewise, when affected ​​it can cause various symptoms. Some of the vagus nerve functions in our body are:

– It helps regulate heartbeat, controls muscle movements and maintains the pace of breathing.

– It maintains the functioning of the digestive tract, allowing the contraction of the stomach and intestine muscles to digest food.

– Facilitates relaxation after a stressful situation or indicates that we are in danger and we do not have to lower the guard.

– Send sensory information to the brain about organ status.



Vagus Nerve and Anxiety

When we are subjected to stressful situations, the sympathetic nervous system is activated. If the tension persists and we cannot turn off the physiological response that triggers it, it won’t pass much time before problems appear. At brain level, this involves the activation of two pathways: the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and the brain-intestine axis.

The brain responds to stress and anxiety by increasing the production of hormones (CRFs) that travel from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland where they induce the release of another hormone (ACTH), which in turn travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands to stimulate cortisol and adrenaline induction, which act as immune system suppressors and inflammatory precursors, which is why when we feel stressed and anxious we get ill easily and, ultimately, we can end up suffering from depression, a disorder which has been linked to an inflammatory brain response.

And as if that were not enough, chronic stress and anxiety cause an increase in glutamate in the brain, a neurotransmitter that, when produced in excess, causes migraine, depression and anxiety. In addition, a high level of cortisol reduces the volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for the formation of new memories.

The involvement of the vagus nerve will lead to symptoms such as dizziness, gastrointestinal problems, arrhythmias, difficulty in breathing, and disproportionate emotional responses. In fact, as the vagus nerve is unable to activate the relaxation signal, the sympathetic nervous system keeps active, this will cause the person to respond impulsively and suffer from anxiety.

It is also curious that a study developed at the University of Miami found that the vagal tone is transmitted from mother to child. Women suffering from anxiety, depression or experiencing much anger during pregnancy had a lower vagal activity and their children also exhibited low vagal activity and lower levels of dopamine and serotonin.



Three Vagal Stimulation Techniques: How to Take Care of the Vagus Nerve?

The vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the vagus nerve. The increase in vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which means that we can relax more quickly after a stressful situation and this will have a positive impact on our emotional balance and on health in general.

Exist various vagus nerve stimulation techniques:

1. Exposure to cold

It has been seen that exposure to cold activates the vagus nerve because it stimulates the cholinergic neurons crossing these innervations. In fact, an investigation conducted at the University of Oulu has revealed that regular exposure to cold helps to reduce the fight-flight response that launches the sympathetic nervous system.

It can be enough a cold shower of 30 seconds a day or a cold towel on the face. There are also those who lie down on the belly putting a cube of ice on the nape. Others prefer to drink quickly a glass of cold water.

2. Diaphragmatic breathing

Most people inhale air between 10 and 14 times per minute, which means they have a superficial breathing. The ideal would be to inhale air 6 times per minute. Therefore, another very effective vagal stimulation technique consists in breathing deeply.

The diaphragmatic breathing in particular activates the vagus nerve and the brain interprets it as it is necessary to calm down, even if the nerve has not given that order specifically. The mechanism is the same for which, if you close your eyes and make taps with your fingers on your eyelids, you will perceive short flashes of light because the brain interprets them so.

With diaphragmatic breathing, we make a deeper breathing that brings air into the lower part of the chest, using the diaphragm correctly and promoting relaxation.

3. Meditation, yoga and tai-chi

Meditation can increase the vagal tone. This has been demonstrated by researchers of the Oregon University who have seen that only five days of mindfulness meditation promote positive feelings towards oneself that cause the vagus nerve activation, while modulating the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, a much better result than conventional relaxation techniques.

Even practices such as yoga and tai-chi are ideal for stimulating the vagus nerve. A study at Boston University has revealed that yoga increases GABA neurotransmitters, which promote the feeling of calm and serenity by helping to combat anxiety and stress. The tai-chi, on the other hand, is able to balance heart rate, which means it stimulates vagal modulation, according to researchers at the National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine.



Sources:
Streeter, C. C. et. Al. (2012) Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical Hypotheses; 78(5): 571-579.
Tang, Y. et. Al. (2009) Central and autonomic nervous system interaction is altered by short-term meditation. PNAS; 106(22): 8865–8870.
Mäkinen, T.M. et. Al. (2008) Autonomic nervous function during whole-body cold exposure before and after cold acclimation. Aviat Space Environ Med; 79(9): 875-882.
Fiel, T. et. Al. (2003) Pregnancy anxiety and comorbid depression and anger: Effects on the fetus and neonate. Depression and Anxiety; 17(3): 140–151.
Wan-an, L. & Cheng-Deng, K (2003) The Effect of Tai Chi Chuan on the Autonomic Nervous Modulation in Older Persons. Med Sci Sports Exerc; 35(12): 1972-1976."

Source: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/vagus-nerve-dysfunction-symptoms