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Lifespan’s A - Z Health Information Library |
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Treatment of epilepsy The vagus nerves branch off the brain on either side of the head and travel down the neck, along the esophagus to the heart and intestinal tract. They are the longest nerves in the body, and affect swallowing, speech, intestinal function, and circulation. The vagus nerves also connect to parts of the brain involved in seizures. In some seizure disorders, electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves may relieve symptoms.  Review Date: 3/29/2009
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Previously reviewed by Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. (6/19/08) The information provided herein should not be used during any
medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical
condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for
diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911
for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for
information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those
other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the
information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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