What function does the vagus nerve serve in the stomach?

The function that the vagus nerve serves in the stomach is helping in the management of complex processes in the digestive system, explains Mayo Clinic. This includes signaling stomach muscles to move food into the small intestine. In most cases, if the vagus nerve is damaged, gastroparesis occurs.

When the vagus nerve is damaged, the normal signaling of the stomach muscles is interrupted, which prevents the fast moving of the food into the small intestine for digestion, explains Mayo Clinic. This nerve can be damaged by a condition such as diabetes or by surgery that’s performed to the small intestine or the stomach.