Neurophysiological and Immunological Mechanism
The Vagus Nerve is the tenth cranial nerve. It regulates heart rate, bronchoconstriction, digestion, and the innate immune response. The vagus nerve innervates the celiac ganglion, the site of origin of the splenic nerve. Stimulation of the efferent vagus nerve slows heart rate, induces gastric motility, and inhibits TNF production in spleen. Stimulation of the efferent pathway of the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter which interacts with the α7 subunit of the nicotinic AChR (α7 nAChR). nAChR is expressed on the cell membrane of macrophages and other cytokine secreting cells. Binding of acetylcholine to nAChR activates intracellular signal transduction which inhibits release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Ligand receptor signaling does suppress production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10).
Read more about this topic: Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway
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