
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." ~ Socrates
I think about this quote a lot in my daily life, but never more so than when I think about the world of medicine. For all the of the things we have learned about cellular aging, and hormone signaling, and chemical interactions, and tissue repair we still haven't even fully understood parts of our basic anatomy. My favorite example of human frontiers we have yet to explore is a little, technically yet to be named nerve, which for purposes of this article we will refer to as CN 0. Sometimes called cranial nerve zero, cranial nerve XIII, or the terminal nerve.
In physical therapy school we were taught about the anatomy, function, and testing of 12 cranial nerves. But low and behold, a few years ago I learned that there is another cranial nerve, CN 0. Where was this little bugger when I was in school, did I miss something in class? Was it a new discovery? Did it finally explain all of life's questions? The answer to all of these questions is no.
This little nerve was noticed way back in the early 1900s. And the reason we didn't talk about it in school is because we still don't know exactly what it does. But it's not just hanging out in there because it looks fun, our bodies don't waste energy creating something that doesn't have a purpose. There are some theories that it may have to do with pheromones or sex hormone regulation, and other theories that is doesn't function after birth. Do I have any answers about this elusive nerve? The answer is still no. (But I do have a link below to the National Library of Medicine so you can read about what science has figured out thus far.)
I bring this up to make a point that we have so much more to explore. Each of us is a unique universe with multitudes we may never understand. So enjoy learning, be active in letting your body teach you about yourself and the world around you, keep an observant eye and be curious about what you see, stay present and feel what you notice. The best science comes from wondering why with an open mind and adventurous heart.
I hope you have fun knowing there is a little part of you, your Cranial Nerve Zero, that has yet to be tamed. Until next time...
Click the link below to learn what little we know about CN 0
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