any structural anomaly of the autonomic, sensory and motor axons of the tenth cranial nerve; it is primarily sensory but also has visceromotor components; it originates in the brain stem and controls many autonomic functions of the heart, lungs, stomach, pharynx, larynx, trachea, esophagus and other gastrointestinal tract components, and also controls some motor functions such as speech; the sensory branches mediate sensation from the pharynx, larynx, thorax and abdomen; it also innervates taste buds in the epiglottis