The ventral vagal nucleus, nucleus ambiguus, is part of an integrated ventral vagal complex controlling the striated muscles of the face and head via special visceral efferent pathways that are involved in sucking, swallowing, breathing, vocalizing, and listening. Lets all hack that vagal nerve and get back to work! Premise 3: Withdrawal of cardiac vagal tone through NA [nucleus of the ventral vagus, nucleus ambiguus] mechanisms is a mammalian adaptation to select novelty in the environment while coping with the need to maintain metabolic output and continuous social communication. The Skeptoid weekly science podcast is a free public service from Skeptoid Media, a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit. The second state is mobilized, meaning you're in the fight or flight mode, the physiological reaction to danger. But since "polyvagal theory" is its common name, I call it that in recognition of the fact that if I didn't, nobody would know what I was referring to and I'd sound like a maniac.). The dispute arose in 1994 when Stephen Porges gave a talk at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, in which he proposed polyvagal theory. "Coach" is not a recognized psychological or medical profession, so nobody regulates it. Psychophysiology. In order to use our social capacity, we need to be in the right physical state. To be a coach? This system is involved in the adaptive expression of emotion. At present I am working with a young man in his mid-teens who is most enamoured with the Polyvagal Theory. We cannot ask people to do breathing techniques, to still the body with mental gymnastics or feel their way through something. The Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) is the only practical application of Polyvagal Theory, and is designed to improve sound sensitivities and auditory processing, behavioral state regulation, and social engagement behaviors through specially-filtered music.. Of particular concern is that these polyvagal coaching services are aggressively target marketed at trauma victims those who are at the most risk. People who have experienced trauma have bodies that are highly reactive to perceived threat. First, it's considered fundamentally unscientific because it makes no claims specific enough to be testable. The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. Polyvagal Theory. The Polyvagal-Informed Certificate Program is designed to help organizations develop an awareness around the need for safety and to assist with creating healthy cultures of connection and belonging. Premise 1 and Premise 2 relate to the proposed mediation of neurogenic bradycardia and RSA being dependent on different vagal circuits with the ventral vagal nucleus regulating RSA and the dorsal vagal nucleus regulating neurogenic transitory bradycardia. Moreover, empirically the two indices are identifiable in the beat-to-beat heart rate pattern. Taking the moisture out of moisturiser:Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed a new technology that turns beauty products like moisturiser into a dry piece of confetti-like paper. Filed under Consumer Ripoffs, Fads, Health, Skeptoid Podcast So when we become polyvagal-informed, we start understanding not only the other persons response but also our responsibility to smile and have inflection in our voice, to help the person were talking to help their body feel safe. According to polyvagal theory, shifts in the autonomic nervous system produces three elementary states: rest-and-digest (social and safe), fight-or-flight (mobilisation) or shutdown (immobilisation). Misrepresentation of the role of myelinated vagal fibers in PVT. Premise 2: Neurogenic bradycardia associated with orienting is a phylogenetic vestigial relic of the reptilian brain and is mediated by DMNX [dorsal vagal nucleus]. Cancel at any time: It seems, therefore, high time to critically assess the value of Stephen Porges'. Hierarchy of autonomic states: An emphasis on two vagal pathways. In polyvagal theory, Dr. Porges describes the process in which our neural circuits are reading cues of danger in our environment as neuroception. Its fed the illusion that the advanced parts of our thinking are the rational parts up top that try to control the more primitive parts down below. Full disclosure: my wife is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a profession that requires an advanced degree in psychology that includes 700 hours of practicum; 2400 hours of supervised clinical experience over three years (different states vary a bit); a number of different licensing exams administered by the state board; and 40 hours of continuing education every two years. The bottom line is that having actual trained professionals mixed in with untrained and possibly incompetent coaches leaves the general public vulnerable. Here the general ways of moving into ventral states do not apply. Hierarchy of autonomic states: An emphasis on two vagal pathways. Porges, S. "Orienting in a defensive world: mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. Misrepresentation of the uniqueness of mammalian RSA in PVT. Here I know myself. 1 Jul. Your brain and body begin to shut down. According to the theory, survival challenges trigger a process of dissolution (or evolution in reverse) that disinhibits the phylogenetically older defense circuits of fight/flight or freeze/collapse. They shine, they think things that others dont even dream of. And it's quite interesting how the sequence. They find they can manage the world better, that they have a mind and body that moves with more ease and agility. So its these adverse events that determine diminished wellbeing? Of course, theories must be modified and informed by empirical research and, when necessary, replaced by alternative theories that are more effective in explaining naturally occurring phenomena. Because we have to understand that people respond differently to the same physical challenges. As described in the sections above, there is scientific consensus that neuroanatomical structures and neurophysiological pathways involved in producing mammalian RSA are distinguishable from respiratory-heart rate interactions in other vertebrates. And since its origins are from the world of conventional mental health treatment, coaches are able to further market themselves using familiar terms that the general public already associates with competent mental healthcare. It is secondary that I know myself through the ventral, the smiles, the eye contact, the speech, the outward physical; this is less to me. It used to be assumed by trauma therapists that stress was a fight-flight reaction. Within the legal system, theres been a lot of issues when a person hasnt fought off a predator. Following their logic, observations of heart rate-respiratory coupling in other vertebrate species would be inconsistent with the theory. PVT focused on a plausible explanation of the vagal paradox in two disparate disciplines, perinatology and psychophysiology. Sometimes you think you recognise that maybe, just maybe they have found this new point of stasis between the ventral and dorsal states and you need to let take a step back and leave the body to know and then stabilise this new information; or whether maybe it is time to press on and mobilise the body with a gentle exercise; or whether to invite the persons opinion on this and how would that best be done; or whether this will be too much for them to manage at this point. These charlatans come in the form of as they call themselves polyvagal coaches. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Counseling Today. Dr. Porges' extraordinary Polyvagal theory contained a concept that finally explained what I observed as the most important variable in treating and managing challenging behaviors: the concept of neuroception, the brain's and body's constant subconscious monitoring of threat and safety. Even if they have never seen the light of day, they are there. Sometimes you just cant. Polyvagal theory and social behavior Middle ear muscles Eyelid opening Facial muscles Laryngeal & Porges (2007) Biological Pharyngeal Psychology, 74. Our eyes are trained to be firmly fixed on the prize, the top of the ladder, where the light is. based upon Porges Polyvagal Theory, which incorporates the principles of co-design and brain plasticity. The integration of cardioinhibitory neurons into the ventral vagal complex provided a circuit that integrated suck-swallow-vocalize-breathe processes with a newer mammalian, myelinated cardioinhibitory ventral vagal pathway that is expressed as RSA (Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia) in the heart rate pattern. This week I'm thrilled to introduce Dr. Stephen Porges and the Polyvagal Theory as it relates to autism and the quarantine, and its therapeutic listening application, the Safe and Sound Protocol.Dr. The casual use of top-down, mind to body awareness do not work because the ability to know and operate the mind-body system are simply not there. This is grounded in the premise that 'story follows state'. It has always been this way. . Polyvagal theory explains three different parts of our nervous system and their responses to stressful situations. In the earliest (now extinct) mammals this ventral migration was sufficiently complete to embed cardioinhibitory functions with activities of branchiomotor neurons (i.e., special visceral efferent pathways) that regulate the striated muscles of the face and head promoting ingestion (e.g., nursing) and social communication via facial expression and vocalizations. All the information that passes through my social systems, my eyes, my ears, my voice, all my senses pass through and are absorbed deep in my dorsal state and it is something I feel keenly and I am nothing without this presence; it is my presence. We are trying to remind and incorporate them into the system so, as one client described I can have more gears on my bike, but we do not do so at the cost of the dorsal. PVT does not preclude the important influences of both bottom-up signals, through interoception, or top-down influences, via memories, visualizations, or associations, on these regulatory circuits. As someone who aligns with being on the spectrum, I resonate deeply with the dorsal state. Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. But maybe the person in front of you feels threatening. It also provides insights into the consequences of autonomic state for mental and physical health. Aces is a scale that accumulates exposure to adverse experiences, such as abuse, neglect and family dysfunction. But thats not what the survivors of trauma described. In 1977 readers were enthralled by The Dragons of Eden, a book by the astronomer Carl Sagan that explored the evolution of the human brain. The social engagement system helps us navigate relationships. Rights and reuse information. 13 Jan. 2022. Together they move from separate distress to mutual calm. Polyvagal Theory explains the mechanism though which cues of safety down regulate threat reactions. Most often, if we make space and time and provide safety through a variety of highly individual, yet often similar considerations which include choice, autonomy and transparency at all times the person in their own time comes to a recognition of a more robust self. This is really important stuff. The point that we have to understand is that when a person has a reaction or response to trauma, the body interprets the traumatic event as a life threat. While the overall function of the vagus nerve is not in dispute, a growing number of scientists are pointing to evidence that refutes Polyvagal Theory . ROSENBERG, S. T. A. N. L. E. Y. For example, it's well established that the vagus nerve transmits all the information needed to move the body between the normal and hyperarousal states, but there's neither evidence nor plausible foundation to suggest that anything other than the brain plays any role in deciding to go into these states a stark contrast to one of PVT's fundamental proposals. 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