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Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine

SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: The Role of the Vagus Nerve in Complementary and integrative Rehabilitation Medicine: A Neurovisceral Integration Perspective

Thursday, November 10, 2022

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

Presenter(s)

Julian Thayer, PhD

Distinguished University Professor of Psychological Science
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, California, United States

The intimate connection between the brain and the heart via the vagus nerve was enunciated by Claude Bernard over 150 years ago. Using a model of Neurovisceral Integration I will describe how autonomic imbalance and decreased parasympathetic tone in particular may be the final common pathway linking negative affective states and conditions to ill health. I will discuss supportive evidence from recent studies of three such approaches (e.g., exercise, diet, and breathing). Together these studies suggest numerous ways in which complementary and integrative practices might influence health and disease via the vagus nerve.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this presentation the audience should have a better understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the vagus nerve.
At the end of this presentation the audience should have a better understanding of the role of the vagus nerve in health and disease.
At the end of this presentation the audience should have a better understanding of the possible role of the vagus nerve in complementary and integrative rehabilitation medicine.