I am struck to see in more and more papers and articles mention of the “vagus nerve“, a lesser known nervous system that runs parallel to the best known spinal system and concentrates on linking our internal organs to the brain.
This comes in parallel to an increasing awareness of the importance of “gut feelings” in decision-making. Gut feelings are mainly transmitted by the vagus nerve system. See for example this article: ‘Science says your “gut feeling” isn’t a metaphor‘ (which even goes to link our guts’ microbial condition to our brain capabilities).
In general it appears that a lot of deep emotional reactions are triggered or conveyed by the vagus nerve and that it plays an essential role in our overall behavior. This of course goes against some theories about the role of certain other nerves and brain parts. We still have a lot to learn on our bodies!
