Editing Vagus nerve (section)

==Development==
The [[motor system|motor]] division of the glossopharyngeal nerve is derived from the [[Basal plate (neural tube)|basal plate]] of the [[embryo]]nic [[medulla oblongata]], while the [[sensory system|sensory]] division originates from the [[cranial neural crest]].<ref>{{cite book|doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-821736-8.00024-8|chapter=Embryology|title=Epidemiology of Brain and Spinal Tumors|date=2021|last1=Moini|first1=Jahangir|last2=Avgeropoulos|first2=Nicholas G.|last3=Samsam|first3=Mohtashem|pages=65–79|isbn=978-0-12-821736-8}}</ref> The development of the vagus nerve begins early in embryonic life, around the third to fourth week of gestation. It forms from two key structures: [[neural crest]] cells, which contribute to its sensory components, and the [[neural tube]], which forms its motor components in the brainstem (specifically in the [[medulla oblongata]]). By weeks 4 to 5, the vagus nerve begins to connect with the fourth and sixth [[Pharyngeal arch|pharyngeal arches]], which give rise to muscles involved in swallowing and speaking. Around weeks 5 to 6, specialized nuclei in the brainstem develop to manage the nerve’s motor and sensory functions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ratcliffe |first1=E. M. |last2=Farrar |first2=N. R. |last3=Fox |first3=E. A. |date=October 2011 |title=Development of the vagal innervation of the gut: steering the wandering nerve |journal=Neurogastroenterology and Motility |volume=23 |issue=10 |pages=898–911 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01764.x |issn=1365-2982 |pmc=3173572 |pmid=21851506}}</ref> These centers are essential for regulating vital automatic processes like breathing, digestion, and heart rate. Between weeks 6 and 9, the vagus nerve extends its branches to various organs, including the heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract, as well as sensory areas like the ear and throat.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cerritelli |first1=Francesco |last2=Frasch |first2=Martin G. |last3=Antonelli |first3=Marta C. |last4=Viglione |first4=Chiara |last5=Vecchi |first5=Stefano |last6=Chiera |first6=Marco |last7=Manzotti |first7=Andrea |date=2021-09-20 |title=A Review on the Vagus Nerve and Autonomic Nervous System During Fetal Development: Searching for Critical Windows |journal=Frontiers in Neuroscience |language=English |volume=15 |doi=10.3389/fnins.2021.721605 |doi-access=free |pmid=34616274 |pmc=8488382 |issn=1662-453X}}</ref> As the [[fetus]] grows, the vagus nerve matures into a crucial part of the parasympathetic nervous system, helping maintain the body's internal balance. This process shows how a single nerve can become so important for multiple systems in the body.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Kuwar Chhetri |first1=Parvat |title=Neuroanatomy, Neural Tube Development and Stages |date=2025 |work=StatPearls |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557414/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |place=Treasure Island (FL) |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |pmid=32491346 |last2=Das |first2=Joe M.}}</ref>