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The Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway — The Vagus Nerve as the Body's Master Switch

vagus nerve research inflammation

The Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway — The Vagus Nerve as the Body's Master Switch

Your body has a neural circuit that shuts down dangerous inflammation in real time — the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine directly at immune cells, suppressing cytokine storms before they damage tissue.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) — The Vagus Nerve's Real-Time Health Dashboard

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Heart Rate Variability (HRV) — The Vagus Nerve's Real-Time Health Dashboard

Heart rate variability (HRV) is the most accessible biomarker of vagal tone — and probably the single best proxy we have for how well someone can shift from stress to recovery.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Polyvagal Theory — Porges' Framework for Nervous System States

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Polyvagal Theory — Porges' Framework for Nervous System States

Stephen Porges proposed that the autonomic nervous system has three hierarchical circuits — and that social behavior is a biological function, not just a psychological one.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

The Vagus Nerve and the Gut-Brain Axis — Your Second Brain Speaks Vagus

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The Vagus Nerve and the Gut-Brain Axis — Your Second Brain Speaks Vagus

The vagus nerve is the largest nerve in the body and the primary highway between gut and brain — about 80% of its fibers are afferent, carrying information UP from the body.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Cold Exposure and Vagus Nerve Activation — The Dive Reflex Revisited

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Cold Exposure and Vagus Nerve Activation — The Dive Reflex Revisited

Cold water on the face triggers the mammalian dive reflex — an ancient, hardwired parasympathetic surge mediated primarily by the vagus nerve.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Deep Breathing and Vagal Afferents — Why Slow Breathing Calms the Brain

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Deep Breathing and Vagal Afferents — Why Slow Breathing Calms the Brain

Slow, deep breathing — especially with an extended exhale — is one of the most reliable ways to increase vagal afferent signaling and shift autonomic balance toward parasympathetic dominance.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation — The Ear as a Gateway to the Brain

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Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation — The Ear as a Gateway to the Brain

The auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) gives us direct, non-invasive access to vagal signaling through the ear — no surgery, no implants, just surface-level stimulation.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Neuroplasticity — Rewiring the Brain Through the Body

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Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Neuroplasticity — Rewiring the Brain Through the Body

Vagus nerve stimulation doesn't just calm things down — it actively drives neuroplasticity by triggering the release of norepinephrine and acetylcholine in the brain.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Vagal Tone and Trauma — How PTSD Rewires the Autonomic Nervous System

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Vagal Tone and Trauma — How PTSD Rewires the Autonomic Nervous System

Trauma doesn't just live in the mind — it rewires the vagus nerve. Chronic stress and adverse experiences literally reshape vagal tone, shifting the autonomic nervous system toward a defensive posture.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

The Vagus Nerve and Immune Regulation — Neuroimmunology of Healing

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The Vagus Nerve and Immune Regulation — Neuroimmunology of Healing

The vagus nerve directly modulates the immune system through what Kevin Tracey calls the inflammatory reflex — a neural circuit that suppresses cytokine production in real time.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Vagus Nerve and Social Connection — The Neurobiology of Co-Regulation

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Vagus Nerve and Social Connection — The Neurobiology of Co-Regulation

Porges' Social Engagement System describes how the ventral vagal complex — myelinated vagal fibers originating in the nucleus ambiguus — supports face-to-face social interaction.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation — Non-Invasive Brain Modulation at Home

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Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation — Non-Invasive Brain Modulation at Home

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) delivers electrical impulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve through the skin — no surgery, no implants, no hospital visits.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Vagal Tone as a Longevity Biomarker — Why the Vagus Nerve Ages

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Vagal Tone as a Longevity Biomarker — Why the Vagus Nerve Ages

Higher vagal tone — measured as greater heart rate variability — is consistently associated with better health outcomes across nearly every major disease category.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Vagus Nerve and Gut Microbiome — Bacteria That Talk to Your Brain

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Vagus Nerve and Gut Microbiome — Bacteria That Talk to Your Brain

The vagus nerve is the primary communication channel between the gut microbiome and the brain — and the microbiome actively tunes that channel.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026

Sound Frequencies and Vagus Nerve Resonance — Acoustic Stimulation Pathways

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Sound Frequencies and Vagus Nerve Resonance — Acoustic Stimulation Pathways

Specific sound frequencies can activate the vagus nerve through the auricular branch — opening the door to non-invasive auditory stimulation as a therapeutic tool.

By VagusSkool Team Mar 19, 2026