The Vagus Nerve: Hype, Science, and Clinical Reality

The vagus nerve has recently become a popular topic in wellness media and on social platforms, often promoted as a newly discovered key to health and longevity. But what is the vagus nerve, and what does medical science actually say about its role in human health?

The brain contains 12 pairs of cranial nerves, which emerge directly from the brain and brainstem rather than the spinal cord. Most cranial nerves serve sensory or motor functions in the head and neck—vision, hearing, smell, and facial movement. The vagus nerve, however, is different.

GALLERY OF VAGUS NERVE STOCK IMAGES

Extending from the brainstem into the chest and abdomen, the vagus nerve plays a central role in regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This system controls involuntary body functions such as:

• Heart rate

• Breathing

• Blood pressure

• Digestion, including enzyme secretion and peristalsis

• Communication between the gut and brain

The autonomic nervous system has two primary branches:

• The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), often described as the “fight-or-flight” response

• The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which supports “rest-and-digest” functions

The vagus nerve is the primary driver of parasympathetic activity, helping maintain internal balance, or homeostasis.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Evidence-Based Applications

Despite sweeping wellness claims suggesting vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a cure-all, clinical applications are more specific and evidence-based.

In fact, physicians have used implantable vagus nerve stimulators—devices similar in appearance to cardiac pacemakers—for decades. These devices deliver controlled electrical impulses to the nerve and are typically prescribed when conventional treatments have proven insufficient.

Currently, VNS therapy is most commonly used for:

• Drug-resistant epilepsy

• Treatment-resistant depression

• Stroke rehabilitation support

Ongoing research continues to explore its broader therapeutic potential, but its clinical use remains carefully regulated and condition-specific.

Medical Imaging for Emerging Therapies

As conversations around neuromodulation and autonomic regulation continue to grow, access to accurate, high-quality medical imagery is essential for educators, publishers, and healthcare communicators.

Science Source offers extensive medical and scientific stock photography—from traditional healthcare procedures to advanced treatments such as implantable vagus nerve stimulators and neurological therapies. Flexible licensing options, including subscriptions, are available to meet editorial and commercial needs.

X-ray, Vagu Nerve Stimulator

CXR with vagus nerve stimulator for epilepsy.

© Scott Camazine / Science Source

Cranial Nerves, Medical Illustration

The brain from an inferior (basal) view showing the twelve pairs of cranial nerves.

© Evan Oto / Science Source

Autonomic Nervous System

Medical illustration showing the effects of the autonomic nervous system on the internal organs. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic.

© PIKOVIT / Science Source

The Science of the Measles

The first written description of measles appeared in the 9th century, recorded by Persian physician Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi.

This highly contagious viral infection originated from a mutation of a bovine disease called rinderpest. Through global vaccination efforts, rinderpest was eradicated in 2011.

While cattle are now safe, humans remain vulnerable to the measles virus.

With global travel, measles spread rapidly across continents, leaving illness and death in its wake.

GALLERY OF MEASLES STOCK IMAGES

Those infected typically develop a high fever, cold-like symptoms, and a rash. Most recover within a few weeks, but some develop pneumonia or encephalitis. Pregnant women face the risk of severe complications, including harm to their unborn child.

The worst U.S. outbreak occurred before the vaccine was developed, causing nearly 500 deaths and over half a million infections.

The measles vaccine, developed in 1963 and widely available by 1971, is 97% effective. Yet some still put children—and others—at risk by avoiding vaccination. Even a mild case can transmit the virus to infants, older adults, or those with weakened immune systems, leading to serious illness or death.

In rare cases, measles can lead to a fatal complication known as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).

Everyone has the choice to vaccinate, but it’s vital that decisions are based on accurate medical information.

Science Source provides authentic medical imagery, illustrations, and infographics to support your healthcare communication projects.

Measles Illustration

Symptoms, complications and infections rate. © Monica Schroeder / Science Source

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Baby with Measles Rash

A baby infected with the Morbillivirus, the cause of measles, or rubeola. © Betty Partin / Science Source

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TEM of Measles (rubeola) Virus

Colored transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a measles virus (rubeola), with its envelope broken exposing the nucleocapsid filaments. © Dr. Linda Stannard / Science Source

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Rinderpest Plague, 1868

Cattle dying in the slaughterhouse yards, during the cattle plague. Measles developed from a mutation of the rinderpest virus. © NLM / Science Source

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New Paleoartists Bring the Prehistoric World to Life: Simone Zoccante, Mohamad Haghani and Gustavo Higón

Science Source is excited to welcome three new paleoartists—Simone Zoccante, Gustavo Higón, and Mohamad Haghani to our collection. Each brings prehistoric creatures to life while recreating Earth’s ancient landscapes with the latest scientific insights.

Simone Zoccante, an Italian artist with nearly a decade of experience, has become a leading figure in contemporary paleoart. His crisp, highly detailed digital style merges scientific accuracy with a striking modern look. Featured here is his Spinosaurus, a dinosaur built for aquatic hunting, with a crocodile-like tail for propulsion, dense bones that kept it submerged, and a sail that may have aided swimming or served as display. Altogether, these traits made it one of the best swimmers of land-dwelling dinosaurs.

Gallery of Stock Image Paleo Art Content

Computer illustration depicting an adult Dakotaraptor steini. © Gustavo Higón/Science Source

Gustavo Higón, based in Spain, is known for his cinematic paleoart. His illustrations often place dinosaurs in stark, desert environments, capturing both their power and fragility. His illustration of an adult Dakotaraptor steini in full stride shows one of the largest raptors —over 16 feet long, feathered, and built for speed. The scene emphasizes its anatomy and locomotion, illustrating how this predator hunted and explored its ecosystem.

Two Elasmosauruses swimming through the water, chasing and preying upon schools of fish in a dynamic underwater scene. © Mohamad Haghani / Science Source

Mohamad Haghani, from Iran, has been working in paleoart for nearly ten years. Combining detailed anatomy with carefully reconstructed environments, Haghani conveys the most current scientific research with striking, realistic imagery.

His two Elasmosauruses swimming through the water, captures the long necks, paddled limbs, and slender bodies of the species. Using current research, he highlights how they maintained a straightened posture and an out-stretched neck while hunting.

Together, these artists expand our growing collection of paleoart. Explore their work and many other illustrators and photographers covering prehistoric life, fossils, and more at ScienceSource.com.

Authentic Sickle Cell Anemia Content for Publishing and Healthcare Communication

Microscopic photo of Sickle cells, crescent-shaped erythrocytes (red blood cells) that result from a change in the amino acid sequence of the cells' hemoglobin. © Eye of Science/Science Source

Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide. In the United States, it primarily affects people of African descent, with 1 in 365 African American births impacted. Globally, the disease is more prevalent in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, where malaria is endemic.

Despite advances in treatment—such as bone marrow and stem cell transplants and promising gene therapies—access to a cure remains limited. Patients often face lifelong complications, including chronic pain, anemia, frequent infections, stroke, and even leukemia. Clear, accurate communication about the dangers and treatments of this disease is more important than ever.

At Science Source, we provide authentic medical stock photography, illustrations, and video content—never AI-generated. Our robust captions and accurate metadata make our collection of medical scans, micrographs, and educational visuals ideal for use in publishing, healthcare communication, and educational projects.

Sickle Cell Patient in Clinic

Sickle cell disease clinic. A nurse connecting tubes to a patient's arm in preparation for a red blood cell exchange. © Life in View/Science Source

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Genetics of Sickle Cell Disease

An illustration showing chromosome 11, a normal blood cell, and a sickle cell. The mutated hemoglobin can be seen in the cutaway. © Monica Schroeder/Science Source

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3D Illustration of Blood Clot

Sickle cells cannot move through small blood vessels as easily as normal cells, and so can cause blockages. © Tim Vernon/Science Source

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Link Between Sickle Cell and Strokes

Sickle cell patients are more prone to stroke due to increased clotting from misshapen red blood cells, also showing increased frequency. © Sue Seif/Science Source

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Psychology in Pictures

About fifty percent more people receive mental health treatment in the US today than twenty years ago. Psychiatric drug use has gradually increased since the 1980’s and the phrase ‘mental health’ has been used to solve problems as diverse as homicides and depression.

While its origins can be traced back to ancient times, modern psychology begins with Sigmund Freud attempting to understand the subconscious with his famous concepts of the id, ego and superego.

Psychology stock image and video gallery

Following him, Jean Piaget created his own stages of human development and discovered the milestone of object permanence among young children. Pavlov began behaviorism with his famous experiments with dogs.

The'“midlife crisis” appeared first in Carl Jung’s theory of archetypes connecting human experience with ideal structures called archetypes present in the myths of cultures all around the world.

With the rise of modern medicine, psychiatric drugs became widely used in the 20th century. Today 1 in 6 Americans use drugs to treat mental disorders ranging from ADD to bipolar disorder. Anti-depressant use has increased, showing some effectiveness among people with severe depression. Other patients may be affected by the “placebo effect” or the belief that something is working when it is not, adding yet another feature to the world of psychology.

As the study of the mind grows, photographers and illustrators are coming up with new ways of representing it with images. Science Source is a worldwide provider of scientific images, offering the latest in science images. For Pavlov’s dogs, Rorschach tests, Campos’ Visual cliff, and many more psychology images, click on the link below.

Psychology photo gallery

Myasthenia Gravis, an Autoimmune Disease

Myasthenia Gravis is a rare disease - fewer than 200,000 cases per year in the United States.

GALLERY OF MEDICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

It is one of the numerous autoimmune diseases. There is no cure, but medications or surgery may help with the condition. The symptoms may last a year or a lifetime.

Visually obvious symptoms are a partial or full paralysis of the face. usually on one side. Droopy eyelids, lack of control of the eye, drooping mouth and lips. Additional common symptoms include weakness of arm or leg muscles, double vision, and difficulties with speech, chewing, swallowing, and breathing.

The cause is a malfunction of the nervous system. Often antibodies block the proper communication in the nervous system.

Experts believe the thymus gland is the source of these antibodies. People with Myasthenia gravis often have an enlarged thymus gland. Fatigue, stress, illness, surgery, and other factors play a role in the onset of symptoms.

In severe cases, the person may need assistance eating or breathing. If detected early, most people can regain enough strength to lead normal or almost normal lives.

Monkeypox Now in the United States, the UK and Europe

The world is just beginning to feel the Coronavirus pandemic loosen it grip when we have a new disease to be concerned with: Monkeypox.

What is Monkeypox? It is a viral infection - related to smallpox - that was first noticed in 1958 in research monkeys. The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded the first human case in 1970.

GALLERY OF MONKEYPOX STOCK PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO LICENSE

Up until now, only cases appeared in people in or who had traveled from the DRC. who had traveled to the DRC. Now in May of 2022, new cases are coming to light - in people that have no connection to international travel.

In the past human to human transmission was extremely rare. The disease causes a skin rash with multiple large oozing blisters. Transmission could occur with the contact of the body fluids or linens contaminated with these fluids.

Animal transmission could occur through a bite, scratch or eating bush meat.

Scientists are now investigating whether the recent infections were transmitted from one human to another via sexual activity.

On the positive side, there is already a vaccine that is currently available to people who are at high risk of exposure, such as medical workers. And like the Coronavirus the best ways to prevent infection are to avoid contact with an infected person, infected animals, or any materials handled by an infected person or animal.

And wash your hands!

The Curious Case of Phineas Gage

Phineas Gage was an American railroad worker famous for surviving a renowned accident. An explosion drove a large iron rod, or tampering spike, entirely through his head, destroying much of his brain's left frontal lobe and blinding him in his left eye.

His injuries reportedly affected his personality and behavior over the remaining 12 years of his life‍. While some reports may have been exaggerated, the case of Phineas Gage remains one of the most famous in the history of Neuroscience.

See how his injury occurred in this 3d animation video.

For great brain and science products visit our Red Bubble storefront. For framed prints, t-shirts, mugs and more fun check out brain, skull and and neuroscience gift ideas.

Mitosis Cell Division: Amazing Stock Science Footage

Mitosis happens when an animal cell divides resulting in two daughter cells that have the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent cell.

The stock science video below shows mitosis in an animal cell. Cells from a Chinese hamster ovary are shown undergoing mitosis, beginning with a cell spread on the substrate, followed by prophase, anaphase, metaphase, telophase, cytokinesis, and finally reattachment of the two daughter cells to the substrate. © SPL/Science Source

For more stock science and stock medical video visit us at ScienceSource.com

Check out our YouTube Channel.

Science Themed Framed Prints and Gifts on Fine Art America

The Most Famous Solvay Conference on Physics

Ernest Solvay founded the first Solvay Conference in 1911. It was a gathering of the most prestigious physicists and chemists worldwide. It is considered a turning point in modern physics.

The Fifth Solvay Conference is still heralded as a significant gathering of legendary physicists to discuss the challenges of the co-existence of classical physics theories and quantum physics theories.

Ernest Solvay was a chemist, international industrialist, and philanthropist. He made his fortune through the redevelopment of the Ammonia-Soda Process. This process creates sodium carbonate, which is used in manufacturing glass, detergent, and cleansers.

He established Solvay & Cie manufacturing plants worldwide, 70 of which are still in operation today.

The Fifth conference focused on Radiation and Quanta, and the scientists discussed both the divergent theories of classical physic and quantum physics.

The attendees included Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Paul Dirac, Erwin Schrödinger, and Werner Heisenberg.

The Solvay Conference is still considered a significant event in the world of physics and chemistry.

Framed Print of famous physicists at the Solvay Conference. Size, matte and frame style options available on Red Bubble. T-shirts, stockers posters and more.

American Heart Month: How the Heart Works

Did you know that your body houses millions of vessels that are circulating blood at this very moment? In fact, if all the blood vessels in the average adult were connected in one line from beginning to end, they would stretch 100,000 miles. The circulatory (or cardiovascular) system carries blood all throughout your body to transport nutrients, allow for essential body functions like breathing, and maintain an overall homeostasis.

Arteries, veins and capillaries are the three different types of blood vessels that make blood circulation possible. Veins transport deoxygenated or waste-rich blood that will eventually be filtered, and arteries carry the filtered, oxygenated blood. Capillaries are the middle man of blood circulation, as they enable the exchange of blood between arteries and veins.

Heart images stock gallery

There are two types of blood circulation: pulmonary and systemic. Pulmonary circulation is the transportation of blood to the lungs so that the blood becomes oxygenated and can return to the heart. This oxygenated blood is then used within systemic circulation.

During systemic circulation, the heart pumps oxygenated blood out to the rest of the body through the arteries. Capillaries deoxygenate the blood by swapping out the oxygen with carbon dioxide, and they then deliver the deoxygenated blood to the veins. The veins carry the deoxygenated blood back to the heart to start the pulmonary cycle over again.

This intricate and elegant system is happening constantly within your body. Without it, you would have no digestive system or immune system, and even your hormones wouldn't be able to be expressed.

American Heart Month is a time for looking after our heart health. Staying healthy, hydrating, and exercising regularly can help ensure your heart stays healthy and everything in the bloodstream is flowing smoothly.

Circulatory System Mugs, Masks, Notebooks, and Other Custom Gifts

• fi.edu

• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• innerbody.com

Isaac Newton and Understanding Color

Newton was so devoted to understanding color that he poked himself in the eye one day - on purpose. He hoped to better understand the optics of colors and light.

He eventually figured out a safer and better means. He used a prism.

GALLERY OF IMAGES: ISAAC NEWTON AND OPTICS

In a dark room, he directed a ray of sunlight through a prism and saw that seven colors of light were transmitted out through the other side.

He then passed those through a second prism and saw that they did not divide further. He thus ascertained that white light was made up of seven colors.

POSTERS AND T-SHIRTS OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON

Isaac Newton (December 25, 1642 - March 20, 1727) was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian. His monograph "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica", published in 1687, lays the foundations for most of classical mechanics.

MLK day and African American History Footage

Celebrate MLK day with video montages documenting African American history. Start with a montage on John Brown (1800-1859), American abolitionist, and his raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859.

Then see the life of George Washington Carver (1864 - 1943), an African-American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor born into slavery.

View amazing photos from the Civil War and the march on Selma in the Civil Rights Movement. Remember the great artists and poets of the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz musicians that still inspire music today. See how the cultural and political figures of the black community shaped American history and the world.

Black History Videos and Stock Images

Science Source offers a wide selection of rights managed and royalty-free images. Many of our images and clips are featured in video montage, providing customers with rare footage of some of history’s most defining moments. Click the video box in your search result pages to view our footage.

Microscope Photos (SEMS) Make Unique Gifts for the Science Minded

The entire world has become more familiar with micrographs in the past 18 months, although you may not have realized it. During the pandemic, detailed photographs of the coronavirus appeared in newspapers, television, and everywhere online. They were taken by a particular device called a scanning electron microscope. The images are often referred to as SEMs for short.

As the name implies, the microscope uses a particle beam to detect electrons off the surface of specimens, which is then placed in a vacuum to create sharp images. Magnification ranges from 20x to 30,000x, spatial resolution of 50 -100nm.

Micrographs allow us to see critical details that may be useful in curing diseases, and they shows us the hidden beauty of everyday objects.

A gallery of microscope photographs available as fine art prints in our Fine Art America shop.

A fine art print, a fun t-shirt, mug, or jigsaw puzzle of a micrograph will make a bold impression on anyone. Resembling abstract art, they’re great for people in the sciences, medicine, research, or just someone who enjoys nature. Discover what micrograph gifts you can make!

Peruse these fascinating images at our Fine Art America shop to start creating amazing micrograph gifts!

Wall art of a seed form the Colombian rainforest SEM photo.