Vagal nerve stimulation

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of various kidney diseases. Kidney perivascular cells (pericytes/fibroblasts) are responsible for producing proinflammatory molecules, promoting immune cell infiltration, and enhancing inflammation. Vascular adhesion protein-1, expressed in kidney perivascular cells, is an ectoenzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of primary amines with the production of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular space. Our study demonstrated that blocking this enzyme suppressed hydrogen peroxide production and neutrophil infiltration, thereby reducing renal ischemia-reperfusion injury...

Background: It had been shown that selective cardiac vagal activation holds great potential for heart regeneration. Optogenetics has clinical translation potential as a novel means of modulating targeted neurons. This study aimed to investigate whether cardiac vagal activation via optogenetics could improve heart regenerative repair after myocardial infarction (MI) and to identify the underlying mechanism. Methods: We used an adeno-associated virus (AAV) as the vector to deliver ChR2, a light-sensitive protein, to the left nodose ganglion (LNG)...

INTRODUCTION: Despite its high lifetime prevalence rate and the elevated disability caused by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatments exhibit modest efficacy. In consideration of the abnormal connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and amygdala in PTSD, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the efficacy of different noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) modalities for PTSD management have been undertaken. However, previous RCTs have reported inconsistent results...

Many studies have examined the effects of meditation practice focused on the normal breath on vagal tone with mixed results. Heart Rhythm Meditation (HRM) is a unique meditation form that engages in the deep slow full breath, and puts the focus of attention on the heart. This form of breathing likely stimulates the vagus nerve with greater intensity. The purpose of this study was (a) to examine how the practice of HRM affects vagal activity as measured by heart rate variability (HRV); and (b) to examine how it affects participants' well-being...

Psychological, social, and biological aspects contribute synergistically to the maintenance and chronicity of pain in primary headaches. An integrated intervention seems to be the most appropriate in the management of these conditions, taking advantage not only of pharmacological strategies, but also of different approaches according to the global assessment and patient necessities. In this perspective, non-pharmacological treatments are becoming increasingly used to overcome these issues also in paediatric migraine treatment...

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To treat diseases associated with vagal nerve control of peripheral organs, it is necessary to selectively activate efferent and afferent fibers in the vagus. As a result of the nerve's complex anatomy, fiber-specific activation proves challenging. Spatially selective neuromodulation using micromagnetic stimulation(µMS) is showing incredible promise. This neuromodulation technique uses microcoils(µcoils) to generate magnetic fields by powering them with a time-varying current. Following the principles of Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction, a highly directional electric field is induced in the nerve from the magnetic field...

Stimulation of the inflammatory reflex (IR) is a promising strategy for treating systemic inflammatory disorders. Recent studies suggest oral sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 ) as a potential activator of the IR, offering a safe and cost-effective treatment approach. However, the mechanisms underlying NaHCO3 -induced anti-inflammatory effects remain unclear. We investigated whether oral NaHCO3 's immunomodulatory effects are mediated by the splenic nerve. Female rats received NaHCO3 or water (H2 O) for four days, and splenic immune markers were assessed using flow cytometry...

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Diabetic gastroenteropathy frequently causes debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms. Previous uncontrolled studies have shown that transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) may improve gastrointestinal symptoms. To investigate the effect of cervical tVNS in individuals with diabetes suffering from autonomic neuropathy and gastrointestinal symptoms, we conducted a randomised, sham-controlled, double-blind (participants and investigators were blinded to the allocated treatment) study...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) is primarily characterized by discomfort in the pharynx and has limited treatment options. This research aimed to assess the efficacy of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) in patients with LPRD and delve into the potential underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A total of 44 participants, diagnosed with LPRD were divided into two groups randomly. Twice-daily stimulation was delivered for 2 weeks for patients in experimental group, with stimulation ranging from 1...

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is under clinical investigation as a therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This study aimed to investigate its therapeutic effects on three main components of heart failure: cardiac function, cardiac remodeling and central neuroinflammation using a pressure overload (PO) rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: PO, PO + VNS, PO + VNS sham, and controls. All rats, except controls, underwent a PO surgery to constrict the thoracic aorta (~50 %) to induce HFrEF...

The pathophysiology of diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), a common complication in diabetic patients, is not fully known. Its development has been linked to several causes, including hyperglycaemia, vagal nerve dysfunction, aberrant Cajal's interstitial cell network (ICC), lack of nerve nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the intermuscular plexus, and hormonal alterations in the gastrointestinal tract. Glucose management, diet control, gastric stimulants, anti-emetic medications, Helicobacter pylori eradication, stomach electrical stimulation, and surgery are the main current treatments...

BACKGROUND: Excessive fear, worry and behavioral disturbances define anxiety, with particular significance attributed to vagal nerve, a crucial transmitter of information to the brain regions governing anxiety. Highlighting the importance of vagal nerve, transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) emerges as a tolerable and safe technique. The success of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation in alleviating anxiety underscores the pivotal role of the vagal nerve. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in mitigating anxiety among retired teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the relevance of targeting the vagal nerve for improved mental well-being...

Vagal neurostimulation (VNS) is used for the treatment of epilepsy and major medical-refractory depression. VNS has neuropsychiatric functions and systemic anti-inflammatory activity. The objective of this study is to measure the clinical efficacy and impact of VNS modulation in depressive patients. Six patients with refractory depression were enrolled. Depression symptoms were assessed with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating, and anxiety symptoms with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Plasmas were harvested prospectively before the implantation of VNS (baseline) and up to 4 years or more after continuous therapy...

BACKGROUND: Cardiac vagal tone is an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, and there is increasing interest in its relation to antisocial behavior . It is unclear however whether antisocial individuals are characterized by increased or decreased vagal tone, and whether increased vagal tone is the source of the low heart rate frequently reported in antisocial populations. METHODS: Participants consisted of four groups of community-dwelling adolescent boys aged 15...

INTRODUCTION: Invasive neuromodulation interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) are important treatments for movement disorders and epilepsy, but literature focused on young patients treated with DBS and VNS is limited. This retrospective study aimed to examine naturalistic outcomes of VNS and DBS treatment of epilepsy and dystonia in children, adolescents, and young adults. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed patient demographic and outcome data that were obtained from electronic health records...

The ILAE's Task Force on Nosology and Definitions revised in 2022 its definition of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), the most common idiopathic generalized epilepsy disorder, but this definition may well change again in the future. Although good drug response could almost be a diagnostic criterion for JME, drug resistance (DR) is observed in up to a third of patients. It is important to distinguish this from pseudoresistance, which is often linked to psychosocial problems or psychiatric comorbidities. After summarizing these aspects and the various definitions applied to JME, the present review lists the risk factors for DR-JME that have been identified in numerous studies and meta-analyses...

Airway integrity must be continuously maintained throughout life. Sensory neurons guard against airway obstruction and, on a moment-by-moment basis, enact vital reflexes to maintain respiratory function1,2 . Decreased lung capacity is common and life-threatening across many respiratory diseases, and lung collapse can be acutely evoked by chest wall trauma, pneumothorax or airway compression. Here we characterize a neuronal reflex of the vagus nerve evoked by airway closure that leads to gasping. In vivo vagal ganglion imaging revealed dedicated sensory neurons that detect airway compression but not airway stretch...

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) has recently been suggested as a potential therapy for traumatic brain injury (TBI). We previously demonstrated that nVNS inhibits cortical spreading depolarization, the electrophysiological event underlying migraine aura, and is relevant to TBI. Our past work also suggests a role for interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in cognitive deficits after closed head injury (CHI) in mice. We show that nVNS pre-treatment suppresses CHI-associated spatial learning and memory impairment and prevents IL-1β activation in injured neurons, but not endothelial cells...

BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve recordings can enhance the efficacy of neurostimulation therapies by providing a feedback signal to adjust stimulation settings for greater efficacy or reduced side effects. Computational models can accelerate the development of interfaces with high signal-to-noise ratio and selective recording. However, validation and tuning of model outputs against in vivo recordings remains computationally prohibitive due to the large number of fibers in a nerve. METHODS: We designed and implemented highly efficient modeling methods for simulating electrically evoked compound nerve action potential (CNAP) signals...