When a person is paralyzed from the neck down, how do their heart and lungs continue to function?
1 Answer
Dec 2, 2015
Cranial Nerve X (Vagus nerve)
Explanation:
A persons spinal cord may be damaged by trauma at any point along the spine, resulting in the loss of motor and sensory function below the damaged area. As long as the vagus nerve remains intact, a person will continue to have innervation to their viscera.
The vagus nerve originates from the medulla oblongata, and travels through the jugular foramen and down the lateral aspect of the neck, bilaterally. Its branches provide nerve function to the larynx, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, spleen and intestines.
