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Zhang Y, Lu SM, Zhuang JJ, Liang LG. Advances in gut-brain organ chips. Cell Prolif 2024:e13724. [PMID: 39086147 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The brain and gut are sensory organs responsible for sensing, transmitting, integrating, and responding to signals from the internal and external environment. In-depth analysis of brain-gut axis interactions is important for human health and disease prevention. Current research on the brain-gut axis primarily relies on animal models. However, animal models make it difficult to study disease mechanisms due to inherent species differences, and the reproducibility of experiments is poor because of individual animal variations, which leads to a significant limitation of real-time sensory responses. Organ-on-a-chip platforms provide an innovative approach for disease treatment and personalized research by replicating brain and gut ecosystems in vitro. This enables a precise understanding of their biological functions and physiological responses. In this article, we examine the history and most current developments in brain, gut, and gut-brain chips. The importance of these systems for understanding pathophysiology and developing new drugs is emphasized throughout the review. This article also addresses future directions and present issues with the advancement and application of gut-brain-on-a-chip technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Si-Ming Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Jian Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Guo Liang
- Centre for Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Baek IS, Choi S, Yoon H, Chung G, Kim SK. Analgesic Effect of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Oxaliplatin-induced Peripheral Neuropathic Pain in a Rodent Model. Exp Neurobiol 2024; 33:129-139. [PMID: 38993080 PMCID: PMC11247280 DOI: 10.5607/en24012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer chemotherapy often triggers peripheral neuropathy in patients, leading to neuropathic pain in the extremities. While previous research has explored various nerve stimulation to alleviate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), evidence on the effectiveness of noninvasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of non-invasive aVNS in relieving CIPN pain. To induce CIPN in experimental animals, oxaliplatin was intraperitoneally administered to rats (6 mg/kg). Mechanical and cold allodynia, the representative symptoms of neuropathic pain, were evaluated using the von Frey test and acetone test, respectively. The CIPN animals were randomly assigned to groups and treated with aVNS (5 V, square wave) at different frequencies (2, 20, or 100 Hz) for 20 minutes. Results revealed that 20 Hz aVNS exhibited the most pronounced analgesic effect, while 2 or 100 Hz aVNS exhibited weak effects. Immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated increased c-Fos expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) in the brain of CIPN rats treated with aVNS compared to sham treatment. To elucidate the analgesic mechanisms involving the adrenergic descending pathway, α1-, α2-, or β-adrenergic receptor antagonists were administered to the spinal cord before 20 Hz aVNS. Only the β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol, blocked the analgesic effect of aVNS. These findings suggest that 20 Hz aVNS may effectively alleviate CIPN pain through β-adrenergic receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Seon Baek
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Seunghwan Choi
- Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Heera Yoon
- Division of Preclinical R&D, Neurogrin Inc., Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Geehoon Chung
- Division of Preclinical R&D, Neurogrin Inc., Seoul 02447, Korea
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
- Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
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Rebeiz T, Sabirov T, White TG, Ledoux D, Kim JM, Kerner D, Moclair B, Lin A, Khazanehdari S, Patel A, Sy H, Ayoub MS, Benziger B, Samuel K, Lim-Hing K, DeMatteo CR, Temes RE. Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation in spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (VANQUISH): A randomized safety and feasibility study. Brain Stimul 2024; 17:543-549. [PMID: 38641171 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tania Rebeiz
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA.
| | - Tagir Sabirov
- Department of Neurosurgery, South Shore University Hospital, 301 East Main Street, Bay Shore, NY, USA
| | - Timothy G White
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - David Ledoux
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Jung-Min Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Donna Kerner
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Betsy Moclair
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Shahab Khazanehdari
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Aashish Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heustein Sy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marc S Ayoub
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Bensam Benziger
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Kenia Samuel
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Krista Lim-Hing
- Department of Neurosurgery, South Shore University Hospital, 301 East Main Street, Bay Shore, NY, USA
| | - Celine Rahman DeMatteo
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Richard E Temes
- Department of Neurosurgery, North Shore University Hospital, 300 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
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Kong Y, Zhao K, Zeng D, Lu F, Li X, Wu Y, Jiang Z, Wen W. Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on cognitive function in patients with epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1332882. [PMID: 38405400 PMCID: PMC10884318 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1332882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies showed that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve cognitive function in patients with epilepsy, but there is still great controversy about the effect of VNS on cognitive function in patients with epilepsy. Objective To investigate the effect of VNS on the cognitive function of epilepsy patients. Methods Clinical trials published in PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and Embase before September 20, 2022, were comprehensively searched. Primary outcomes were overall cognitive performance, executive function, attention, memory; Secondary outcomes were seizure frequency, mood, and quality of life (QOL). Random effects were used to calculate the pooled outcome. Results Twenty clinical trials were included. There was no significant improvement in overall cognitive performance in patients with epilepsy after VNS treatment (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.12 to 0.26; I2 = 0.00%) compared to pre-treatment. Compared to pre-treatment, there was no significant difference in executive function (SMD = -0.50; 95% CI: -1.50 to 0.50; p = 0.32), attention (SMD = -0.17; 95% CI: -0.43 to 0.09; p = 0.21) and memory (SMD = 0.64; 95% CI: -0.11 to 1.39; p = 0.09), but there were significant differences in seizure frequency, mood, and quality of life in patients with epilepsy after VNS. Conclusion This meta-analysis did not establish that VNS can significantly improve cognitive function in patients with epilepsy, but it shows that VNS can significantly improve the seizure frequency, mood and quality of life of patients with epilepsy. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42023384059.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurou Kong
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kun Zhao
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Duchun Zeng
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feiao Lu
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Medicine, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yulun Wu
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zengming Jiang
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanshun Wen
- Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Research Institute of Zhejiang Province, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Sun K, Li Y, Zhai Z, Yin H, Liang S, Zhai F, Cui Y, Zhang G. Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and exploration of brain network mechanisms in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1337101. [PMID: 38374975 PMCID: PMC10875019 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1337101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a collection of neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by poor social interaction and communication, a limited range of interests, and stereotyped behavior. High-functioning autism (HFA) indicates a subgroup of individuals with autism who possess cognitive and/or language skills that are within the average to above-normal range for their age. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) holds promise in children with HFA. However, few studies have used randomized controlled trials to validate the effectiveness of taVNS. Therefore, in this study, we intend to provide a study protocol to examine the therapeutic effects of taVNS in individuals diagnosed with HFA and to investigate the process of brain network remodeling in individuals with ASD using functional imaging techniques to observe alterations in large-scale neural networks. Methods and design We planned to employ a randomized, double-blind experimental design, including 40 children receiving sham stimulation and 40 children receiving real stimulation. We will assess clinical scales and perform functional imaging examinations before and after the stimulation. Additionally, we will include age- and gender-matched healthy children as controls and conduct functional imaging examinations. We plan first to observe the therapeutic effects of taVNS. Furthermore, we will observe the impact of taVNS stimulation on the brain network. Discussion taVNS was a low-risk, easy-to-administer, low-cost, and portable option to modulate the vagus system. taVNS may improve the social performance of HFA. Changes in the network properties of the large-scale brain network may be related to the efficacy of taVNS. Clinical trial registration http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2300074035.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Sun
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhang Zhai
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Heqing Yin
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuli Liang
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Zhai
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghua Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Guojun Zhang
- Functional Neurosurgery Department, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Kellett DO, Aziz Q, Humphries JD, Korsak A, Braga A, Gutierrez Del Arroyo A, Crescente M, Tinker A, Ackland GL, Gourine AV. Transcriptional response of the heart to vagus nerve stimulation. Physiol Genomics 2024; 56:167-178. [PMID: 38047311 PMCID: PMC11281814 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00095.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Heart failure is a major clinical problem, with treatments involving medication, devices, and emerging neuromodulation therapies such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Considering the ongoing interest in using VNS to treat cardiovascular disease, it is important to understand the genetic and molecular changes developing in the heart in response to this form of autonomic neuromodulation. This experimental animal (rat) study investigated the immediate transcriptional response of the ventricular myocardium to selective stimulation of vagal efferent activity using an optogenetic approach. Vagal preganglionic neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve were genetically targeted to express light-sensitive chimeric channelrhodopsin variant ChIEF and stimulated using light. RNA sequencing of the left ventricular myocardium identified 294 differentially expressed genes (false discovery rate < 0.05). Qiagen Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) highlighted 118 canonical pathways that were significantly modulated by vagal activity, of which 14 had a z score of ≥2/≤-2, including EIF-2, IL-2, integrin, and NFAT-regulated cardiac hypertrophy. IPA revealed the effect of efferent vagus stimulation on protein synthesis, autophagy, fibrosis, autonomic signaling, inflammation, and hypertrophy. IPA further predicted that the identified differentially expressed genes were the targets of 50 upstream regulators, including transcription factors (e.g., MYC and NRF1) and microRNAs (e.g., miR-335-3p and miR-338-3p). These data demonstrate that the vagus nerve has a major impact on the myocardial expression of genes involved in the regulation of key biological pathways. The transcriptional response of the ventricular myocardium induced by stimulation of vagal efferents is consistent with the beneficial effect of maintained/increased vagal activity on the heart.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This experimental animal study investigated the immediate transcriptional response of the ventricular myocardium to selective stimulation of vagal efferent activity. Vagal stimulation induced significant transcriptional changes in the heart involving the pathways controlling autonomic signaling, inflammation, fibrosis, and hypertrophy. This study provides the first direct evidence that myocardial gene expression is modulated by the activity of the autonomic nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O Kellett
- Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Qadeer Aziz
- Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan D Humphries
- Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alla Korsak
- Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alice Braga
- Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Gutierrez Del Arroyo
- Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marilena Crescente
- Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Tinker
- Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth L Ackland
- Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander V Gourine
- Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Kiran NS, Yashaswini C, Chatterjee A. Noxious ramifications of cosmetic pollutants on gastrointestinal microbiome: A pathway to neurological disorders. Life Sci 2024; 336:122311. [PMID: 38043908 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
On exposure to cosmetic pollutants, gastrointestinal dysbiosis, which is characterised by a disturbance in the gut microbiota, has come into focus as a possible contributor to the occurrence of neurotoxic consequences. It is normal practice to use personal care products that include parabens, phthalates, sulphates, triclosans/triclocarbans and micro/nano plastics. These substances have been found in a variety of bodily fluids and tissues, demonstrating their systemic dispersion. Being exposed to these cosmetic pollutants has been linked in recent research to neurotoxicity, including cognitive decline and neurodevelopmental problems. A vital part of sustaining gut health and general well-being is the gut flora. Increased intestinal permeability, persistent inflammation, and impaired metabolism may result from disruption of the gut microbial environment, which may in turn contribute to neurotoxicity. The link between gastrointestinal dysbiosis and the neurotoxic effects brought on by cosmetic pollutants may be explained by a number of processes, primarily the gut-brain axis. For the purpose of creating preventative and therapeutic measures, it is crucial to comprehend the intricate interactions involving cosmetic pollutants, gastrointestinal dysbiosis, and neurotoxicity. This review provides an in-depth understanding of the various hazardous cosmetic pollutants and its potential role in the occurrence of neurological disorders via gastrointestinal dysbiosis, providing insights into various described and hypothetical mechanisms regarding the complex toxic effects of these industrial pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelakanta Sarvashiva Kiran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bangalore, Karnataka 560064, India
| | - Chandrashekar Yashaswini
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bangalore, Karnataka 560064, India
| | - Ankita Chatterjee
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bangalore, Karnataka 560064, India.
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Yeap TB, Koo TH, Ang SY, Ab Mukmin L. Perianaesthetic management on a child with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) placement. BMJ Case Rep 2023; 16:e255897. [PMID: 38011949 PMCID: PMC10685940 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-255897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neurostimulatory modality in treating patients with medically resistant epilepsy (MRE). It was introduced in 1997 and has been proven to reduce patients' dependency on antiepileptic drugs and seizure frequency. However, the usage of VNS in children with MRE has been limited, especially those with Lennox Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). Our teenage boy with this syndrome developed MRE and successfully underwent VNS placement. We discuss the perianaesthetic challenges, a brief description of VNS and the reported successes in patients with LGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tat Boon Yeap
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Thai Hau Koo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Song Yee Ang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Laila Ab Mukmin
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Malaysia
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Wang MX, Wumiti A, Zhang YW, Gao XS, Huang Z, Zhang MF, Peng ZY, Oku Y, Tang ZM. Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation improved motor cortex excitability in healthy adults: a randomized, single-blind, self-crossover design study. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1234033. [PMID: 37854293 PMCID: PMC10579560 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1234033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the effect of transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) on motor cortex excitability in healthy adults. Method Twenty eight healthy subjects were assigned to receive real and sham tcVNS for 30 min. The interval between the real and sham conditions was more than 24 h, and the sequence was random. The central and peripheral motor-evoked potential (MEP) of the right first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle was measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before and after stimulation. MEP latency, MEP amplitude and rest motor threshold (rMT) were analyzed before and after stimulation. Results MEP amplitude, MEP latency and rMT had significant interaction effect between time points and conditions (p < 0.05). After real stimulation, the MEP amplitude was significantly increased (p < 0.001). MEP latency (p < 0.001) and rMT (p = 0.006) was decreased than that of baseline. The MEP amplitude on real condition was higher than that of sham stimulation after stimulation (p = 0.027). The latency after the real stimulation was significantly shorter than that after sham stimulation (p = 0.005). No significantly difference was found in rMT after stimulation between real and sham conditions (p > 0.05). Conclusion tcVNS could improve motor cortex excitability in healthy adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Xin Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aihaiti Wumiti
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao-Wen Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue-Sheng Gao
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Zi Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Meng-Fei Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Peng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
| | - Yoshitaka Oku
- Department of Physiology, Hyogo Medical University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Zhi-Ming Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yuedong Hospital, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Meizhou, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Nordsten CB, Molbech CR, Mehlsen J, Sørensen TL. Heart-Rate Variability Correlates to Choroidal Thickness in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy. Clin Ophthalmol 2023; 17:2443-2447. [PMID: 37609645 PMCID: PMC10441633 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s405529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) have previously been shown to have a lower heart rate variability (HRV), implying a lower vagal tone. Vagal tone alters mineralocorticoids, which in turn affect the thickness of the choroid. Since increased choroidal thickness is characteristic of CSC, we wanted to investigate its correlation with HRV. Patients and Methods In this case-control study, 21 acute CSC patients and 31 healthy controls were included. Diagnosis was confirmed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and retinal examination. HRV was evaluated following accepted standards. Outcome measures were chosen beforehand as follows: Standard deviation of N-N intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSDD), low frequency/high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio), and standard deviation ratio from commonly used Poincare plot (SD2/SD1 ratio). Choroidal thickness was measured using OCT directly under the foveola. Results Patients and healthy controls did not differ in health and medical characteristics in addition to CSC disease. Choroidal thickness was greatest in patients with CSC (mean±SD: 342±80 μm) compared to controls (235±60 μm, p<0.0001). A correlation was observed between LF/HF ratio and choroidal thickness in patients with CSC (Pearson correlation 0.63, p=0.02), where the CSC group had a lower LF/HF ratio (Median 2.39 ms2, IQR: 1.2-4.34 ms2) compared to controls (Median 1.2 ms2, IQR: 0.9-2.4 ms2, p=0.06) and SD2/SD1 ratio (CSC 0.59±0.2 vs controls 0.74±0.3, p=0.06). Conclusion We found a correlation between the thickness of the choroid and the HRV-measured LF/HF ratio in patients with CSC and showed a borderline significant reduction in HRV measurements in patients with CSC. The data imply that vagal alterations exist in patients with CSC. Due to the low n, this should be considered as a pilot study. Further studies are warranted to elucidate mechanisms and validate findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Rue Molbech
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Mehlsen
- Unit of Surgical Pathophysiology, University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Torben Lykke Sørensen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Maisiyiti A, Tian M, Chen JDZ. Acceleration of postoperative recovery with brief intraoperative vagal nerve stimulation mediated via the autonomic mechanism. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1188781. [PMID: 37404466 PMCID: PMC10315581 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1188781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Postoperative recovery is largely dependent on the restoration of gastrointestinal motility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of intraoperative vagus nerve stimulation (iVNS) on postoperative recovery from abdominal surgery in rats. Methods The Nissen fundoplication surgery was performed on two groups of rats: sham-iVNS group and iVNS group (VNS was performed during surgery). Animal's behavior, eating, drinking and feces' conditions were monitored at specific postoperative days. Gastric slow waves (GSWs) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded; blood samples were collected for the assessment of inflammatory cytokines. Results (1) iVNS shortened initiate times to water and food intake (p = 0.004) and increased the number of fecal pellets (p < 0.05, vs. sham-iVNS) and the percentage of water content in fecal pellets (p < 0.05). (2) iVNS improved gastric pace-making activity at 6 h after surgery reflected as a higher percentage of normal slow waves (p = 0.015, vs. sham-iVNS). (3) iVNS suppressed inflammatory cytokines at 24 h after surgery compared to sham-iVNS (TNF-α: p = 0.001; IL-1β: p = 0.037; IL-6: p = 0.002). (4) iVNS increased vagal tone compared to sham-iVNS group at 6 h and 24 h after the surgery (p < 0.05). Increased vagal tone was correlated with a faster postoperative recovery to start water and food intake. Conclusion Brief iVNS accelerates postoperative recovery by ameliorating postoperative animal behaviors, improving gastrointestinal motility and inhibiting inflammatory cytokines mediated via the enhanced vagal tone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alimujiang Maisiyiti
- Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Hernias and Abdominal Wall Surgery, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | - Ming Tian
- Department of Surgery, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiande D. Z. Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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12
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Rao Y, Liu W, Zhu Y, Lin Q, Kuang C, Huang H, Jiao B, Ma L, Lin J. Altered functional brain network patterns in patients with migraine without aura after transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9604. [PMID: 37311825 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36437-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) shows excellent effects on relieving clinical symptoms in migraine patients. Nevertheless, the neurological mechanisms of taVNS for migraineurs remain unclear. In recent years, voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) and functional connectivity (FC) methods were extensively utilized for exploring alterations in patterns of FC in the resting-state brain. In the present study, thirty-five migraine patients without aura and thirty-eight healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for magnetic resonance imaging scans. Firstly, this study used voxel-wise DC analysis to explore brain regions where abnormalities were present in migraine patients. Secondly, for elucidating neurological mechanisms underlying taVNS in migraine, seed-based resting-state functional connectivity analysis was employed to the taVNS treatment group. Finally, correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between alterations in neurological mechanisms and clinical symptoms. Our findings indicated that migraineurs have lower DC values in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and paracentral lobule than in healthy controls (HCs). In addition, migraineurs have higher DC values in the cerebellar lobule VIII and the fusiform gyrus than HCs. Moreover, after taVNS treatment (post-taVNS), patients displayed increased FC between the ITG with the inferior parietal lobule (IPL), orbitofrontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and posterior cingulate gyrus than before taVNS treatment (pre-taVNS). Besides, the post-taVNS patients showed decreased FC between the cerebellar lobule VIII with the supplementary motor area and postcentral gyrus compared with the pre-taVNS patients. The changed FC of ITG-IPL was significantly related to changes in headache intensity. Our study suggested that migraine patients without aura have altered brain connectivity patterns in several hub regions involving multisensory integration, pain perception, and cognitive function. More importantly, taVNS modulated the default mode network and the vestibular cortical network related to the dysfunctions in migraineurs. This paper provides a new perspective on the potential neurological mechanisms and therapeutic targets of taVNS for treating migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyang Rao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Wenting Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Qiwen Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Changyi Kuang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Huiyuan Huang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lijun Ma
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Jiabao Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, No.232, Huandong Road, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS UMR 5229, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
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13
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The Potential of Flavonoids and Flavonoid Metabolites in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Pathology in Disorders of Cognitive Decline. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12030663. [PMID: 36978911 PMCID: PMC10045397 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids are a biodiverse family of dietary compounds that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial cell protective profiles. They have received considerable attention as potential therapeutic agents in biomedicine and have been widely used in traditional complimentary medicine for generations. Such complimentary medical herbal formulations are extremely complex mixtures of many pharmacologically active compounds that provide a therapeutic outcome through a network pharmacological effects of considerable complexity. Methods are emerging to determine the active components used in complimentary medicine and their therapeutic targets and to decipher the complexities of how network pharmacology provides such therapeutic effects. The gut microbiome has important roles to play in the generation of bioactive flavonoid metabolites retaining or exceeding the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of the intact flavonoid and, in some cases, new antitumor and antineurodegenerative bioactivities. Certain food items have been identified with high prebiotic profiles suggesting that neutraceutical supplementation may be beneficially employed to preserve a healthy population of bacterial symbiont species and minimize the establishment of harmful pathogenic organisms. Gut health is an important consideration effecting the overall health and wellbeing of linked organ systems. Bioconversion of dietary flavonoid components in the gut generates therapeutic metabolites that can also be transported by the vagus nerve and systemic circulation to brain cell populations to exert a beneficial effect. This is particularly important in a number of neurological disorders (autism, bipolar disorder, AD, PD) characterized by effects on moods, resulting in depression and anxiety, impaired motor function, and long-term cognitive decline. Native flavonoids have many beneficial properties in the alleviation of inflammation in tissues, however, concerns have been raised that therapeutic levels of flavonoids may not be achieved, thus allowing them to display optimal therapeutic effects. Dietary manipulation and vagal stimulation have both yielded beneficial responses in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, depression, and anxiety, establishing the vagal nerve as a route of communication in the gut-brain axis with established roles in disease intervention. While a number of native flavonoids are beneficial in the treatment of neurological disorders and are known to penetrate the blood–brain barrier, microbiome-generated flavonoid metabolites (e.g., protocatechuic acid, urolithins, γ-valerolactones), which retain the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency of the native flavonoid in addition to bioactive properties that promote mitochondrial health and cerebrovascular microcapillary function, should also be considered as potential biotherapeutic agents. Studies are warranted to experimentally examine the efficacy of flavonoid metabolites directly, as they emerge as novel therapeutic options.
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14
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Farrand A, Jacquemet V, Verner R, Owens M, Beaumont E. Vagus nerve stimulation parameters evoke differential neuronal responses in the locus coeruleus. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15633. [PMID: 36905173 PMCID: PMC10006695 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy and depression, with additional applications under investigation. The noradrenergic center locus coeruleus (LC) is vital for VNS effects; however, the impact of varying stimulation parameters on LC activation is poorly understood. This study characterized LC activation across VNS parameters. Extracellular activity was recorded in rats' left LC while 11 VNS paradigms, utilizing variable frequencies and bursting characteristics, were pseudorandomly delivered to the left cervical vagus for five cycles. Neurons' change from baseline firing rate and timing response profiles were assessed. The proportion of neurons categorized as responders over 5 VNS cycles doubled in comparison to the first VNS cycle (p < 0.001) for all VNS paradigms, demonstrating an amplification effect. The percentage of positively consistent/positive responders increased for standard VNS paradigms with frequencies ≥10 Hz and for bursting paradigms with shorter interburst intervals and more pulses per burst. The synchrony between pairs of LC neurons increased during bursting VNS but not standard paradigms. Also, the probability of evoking a direct response during bursting VNS was higher with longer interburst intervals and a higher number of pulses per burst. Standard paradigms between 10-30 Hz best positively activates LC with consistency to VNS while the best bursting paradigm to increase activity was 300 Hz, seven pulses per burst separated by 1 s. Bursting VNS was effective in increasing synchrony between pairs of neurons, suggesting a common network recruitment originating from vagal afferents. These results indicate differential activation of LC neurons depending on the VNS parameters delivered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Farrand
- Department of Biomedical SciencesQuillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson CityTennesseeUSA
| | - Vincent Jacquemet
- Department of Pharmacology and PhysiologyInstitute of Biomedical Engineering, University of MontrealMontrealQuebecCanada
- Research CenterSacred Heart Hospital of MontrealMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Ryan Verner
- Neuromodulation DivisionLivaNova PLCHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Misty Owens
- Department of Biomedical SciencesQuillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson CityTennesseeUSA
| | - Eric Beaumont
- Department of Biomedical SciencesQuillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson CityTennesseeUSA
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15
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Zanello M, Dibué M, Cornips E, Roux A, McGonigal A, Pallud J, Carron R. Training and teaching of vagus nerve stimulation surgery: Worldwide survey and future perspectives. Neurochirurgie 2023; 69:101420. [PMID: 36775121 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2023.101420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been used for more than two decades to treat drug resistant epilepsy and depression and most recently received FDA approval for stroke rehabilitation. Expanding indications will renew the interest in the technique and increase the number of surgeons to be trained. The aim of this study was to survey surgeons with substantial expertise on optimal teaching and training approaches. METHODS Anonymous forms comprising 16 questions were sent by e-mail to surgeons with substantial expertise. Statistical analyses were used to compare the answers of the most experienced surgeons (>5 years) with the less experienced ones (<5 years). RESULTS Fully-completed forms were collected from 57 experts from 20 countries. The placement of the helical coils was deemed to be the most difficult step by 36 (63.2%) experts, and the use of optical magnification during this step was deemed necessary by 39 (68.4%) experts. Vocal cord palsy should be largely avoidable with proper surgical technique according to 44 (77.2%) experts. The teaching tool considered the most useful was mentoring (38, 66.7%). The future of VNS surgery teaching was deemed to be in anatomical workshops (29, 50.9%) and surgical simulation (26, 45.6%). Overall, answers did not vary significantly according to experience. CONCLUSIONS VNS surgery should be mastered by actively participating in dedicated practical training courses and by individual mentoring during actual surgery, which is still the best way to learn. This study highlights the need for a formal training course and possible specific accreditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Zanello
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - M Dibué
- Department of Neurosurgery, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany; Medical Affairs Neuromodulation International, LivaNova PLC, London, United Kingdom
| | - E Cornips
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium
| | - A Roux
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - A McGonigal
- Aix Marseille Univ, AP-HM, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Timone Hospital, Epileptology Department, Marseille, France
| | - J Pallud
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - R Carron
- Department of Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, AP-HM, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Timone Hospital, Marseille, France
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16
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Bender SA, Green DB, Daniels RJ, Ganocy SP, Bhadra N, Vrabec TL. Effects on heart rate from direct current block of the stimulated rat vagus nerve. J Neural Eng 2023; 20:10.1088/1741-2552/acacc9. [PMID: 36535037 PMCID: PMC9972895 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/acacc9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Although electrical vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to augment parasympathetic control of the heart, the effects of electrical conduction block have been less rigorously characterized. Previous experiments have demonstrated that direct current (DC) nerve block can be applied safely and effectively in the autonomic system, but additional information about the system dynamics need to be characterized to successfully deploy DC nerve block to clinical practice.Approach.The dynamics of the heart rate (HR) from DC nerve block of the vagus nerve were measured by stimulating the vagus nerve to lower the HR, and then applying DC block to restore normal rate. DC block achieved rapid, complete block, as well as partial block at lower amplitudes.Main Results. Complete block was also achieved using lower amplitudes, but with a slower induction time. The time for DC to induce complete block was significantly predicted by the amplitude; specifically, the amplitude expressed as a percentage of the current required for a rapid, 60 s induction time. Recovery times after the cessation of DC block could occur both instantly, and after a significant delay. Both blocking duration and injected charge were significant in predicting the delay in recovery to normal conduction.Significance. While these data show that broad features such as induction and recovery can be described well by the DC parameters, more precise features of the HR, such as the exact path of the induction and recoveries, are still undefined. These findings show promise for control of the cardiac autonomic nervous system, with potential to expand to the sympathetic inputs as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane A. Bender
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - David B. Green
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Robert J. Daniels
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Stephen P. Ganocy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Niloy Bhadra
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Tina L. Vrabec
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
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17
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Terutsuki D, Yoroizuka H, Osawa SI, Ogihara Y, Abe H, Nakagawa A, Iwasaki M, Nishizawa M. Totally Organic Hydrogel-Based Self-Closing Cuff Electrode for Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2201627. [PMID: 36148587 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202201627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
An intrinsically soft organic electrode consisting of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-modified polyurethane (PEDOT-PU) is embedded into a bilayer film of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels for developing a self-closing cuff electrode for neuromodulation. The curled form of the PVA hydrogel is prepared by releasing internal stress in the bilayer structure. The inner diameter of the cuff electrode is set to less than 2 mm for immobilization to the vagus nerve (VN) of humans and pigs. The stability of the immobilization is examined, while the pressure applied to a nerve bundle is at a harmless level (≈200 Pa). Since the electrode is totally organic, MRI measurements can be conducted without image artifacts. The large electric capacitance of the PEDOT-PU (≈27 mF cm-2 ) ensures a safe stimulation of living tissues without Faradaic reactions. The practical performance of the cuff electrode for VN stimulation is demonstrated by observation of bradycardia induction in a pig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daigo Terutsuki
- Department of Finemechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hayato Yoroizuka
- Department of Finemechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Osawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yuka Ogihara
- Department of Finemechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hiroya Abe
- Department of Finemechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Atsuhiro Nakagawa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masaki Iwasaki
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Matsuhiko Nishizawa
- Department of Finemechanics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
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18
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Sacca V, Zhang Y, Cao J, Li H, Yan Z, Ye Y, Hou X, McDonald CM, Todorova N, Kong J, Liu B. Evaluation of the Modulation Effects Evoked by Different Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Frequencies Along the Central Vagus Nerve Pathway in Migraine: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Neuromodulation 2022; 26:620-628. [PMID: 36307355 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2022.08.459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising treatment option for migraines. This study aims to investigate the modulation effects of different taVNS frequencies along the central vagus nerve pathway in migraineurs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four migraineurs were recruited for a single-blind, crossover magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. The study consisted of two taVNS MRI scan sessions, in which either 1-Hz or 20-Hz taVNS was applied in a random order. Seed-based static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) analyses were performed using two key nodes of the vagus nerve pathway, the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and the locus coeruleus (LC). RESULTS Static FC (sFC) analysis showed that 1) continuous 1-Hz taVNS resulted in an increase of NTS/LC-occipital cortex sFC and a decrease of NTS-thalamus sFC compared with the pre-1-Hz taVNS resting state, 2) continuous 20-Hz taVNS resulted in an increase of the LC-anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) sFC compared with the pre-20-Hz taVNS resting state, 3) 1-Hz taVNS produced a greater LC-precuneus and LC-inferior parietal cortex sFC than 20 Hz, and 4) 20-Hz taVNS increased LC-ACC and LC-super temporal gyrus/insula sFC in comparison with 1 Hz. Dynamic FC (dFC) analysis showed that compared with the pre-taVNS resting state, 1-Hz taVNS decreased NTS-postcentral gyrus dFC (less variability), 20-Hz taVNS decreased dFC of the LC-superior temporal gyrus and the LC-occipital cortex. Finally, a positive correlation was found between the subjects' number of migraine attacks in the past four weeks and the NTS-thalamus sFC during pre-taVNS resting state. CONCLUSIONS 1-Hz and 20-Hz taVNS may modulate the sFC and dFC of key nodes in the central vagus nerve pathway differently. Our findings highlight the importance of stimulation parameters (frequencies) in taVNS treatment.
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19
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Ottaviani MM, Macefield VG. Structure and Functions of the Vagus Nerve in Mammals. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:3989-4037. [PMID: 35950655 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c210042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We review the structure and function of the vagus nerve, drawing on information obtained in humans and experimental animals. The vagus nerve is the largest and longest cranial nerve, supplying structures in the neck, thorax, and abdomen. It is also the only cranial nerve in which the vast majority of its innervation territory resides outside the head. While belonging to the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, the nerve is primarily sensory-it is dominated by sensory axons. We discuss the macroscopic and microscopic features of the nerve, including a detailed description of its extensive territory. Histochemical and genetic profiles of afferent and efferent axons are also detailed, as are the central nuclei involved in the processing of sensory information conveyed by the vagus nerve and the generation of motor (including parasympathetic) outflow via the vagus nerve. We provide a comprehensive review of the physiological roles of vagal sensory and motor neurons in control of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems, and finish with a discussion on the interactions between the vagus nerve and the immune system. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12: 1-49, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo M Ottaviani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Vaughan G Macefield
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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20
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Ramos-Castaneda JA, Barreto-Cortes CF, Losada-Floriano D, Sanabria-Barrera SM, Silva-Sieger FA, Garcia RG. Efficacy and Safety of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Upper Limb Motor Recovery After Stroke. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Neurol 2022; 13:889953. [PMID: 35847207 PMCID: PMC9283777 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.889953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Upper limb motor impairment is one of the main complications of stroke, affecting quality of life both for the patient and their family. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) on upper limb motor recovery after stroke. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that have evaluated the efficacy or safety of VNS in stroke patients was performed. The primary outcome was upper limb motor recovery. A search of articles published on MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EBSCO and LILACS up to December 2021 was performed, and a meta-analysis was developed to calculate the overall effects. Results Eight studies evaluating VNS effects on motor function in stroke patients were included, of which 4 used implanted and 4 transcutaneous VNS. It was demonstrated that VNS, together with physical rehabilitation, increased upper limb motor function on average 7.06 points (95%CI 4.96; 9.16) as assessed by the Fugl-Meyer scale. Likewise, this improvement was significantly greater when compared to a control intervention (mean difference 2.48, 95%CI 0.98; 3.98). No deaths or serious adverse events related to the intervention were reported. The most frequent adverse events were dysphonia, dysphagia, nausea, skin redness, dysgeusia and pain related to device implantation. Conclusion VNS, together with physical rehabilitation, improves upper limb motor function in stroke patients. Additionally, VNS is a safe intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A. Ramos-Castaneda
- Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia, Bucaramanga, Colombia
- Research Group Innovación y Cuidado, Faculty of Nursing, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Neiva, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Jorge A. Ramos-Castaneda
| | | | | | | | | | - Ronald G. Garcia
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
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21
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Castillo G, Gaitero L, Fonfara S, Czura CJ, Monteith G, James F. Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Induces Changes in the Electroencephalogram and Heart Rate Variability of Healthy Dogs, a Pilot Study. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:878962. [PMID: 35769324 PMCID: PMC9234651 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.878962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has been used to treat epilepsy in people and dogs. Objective electroencephalographic (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) data associated with tcVNS have been reported in people. The question remained whether EEG and electrocardiography (ECG) would detect changes in brain activity and HRV, respectively, after tcVNS in dogs. Simultaneous EEG and Holter recordings, from 6 client-owned healthy dogs were compared for differences pre- and post- tcVNS in frequency band power analysis (EEG) and HRV. The feasibility and tolerance of the patients to the tcVNS were also noted. In a general linear mixed model, the average power per channel per frequency band was found to be significantly different pre- and post-stimulation in the theta (p = 0.02) and alpha bands (p = 0.04). The pooled power spectral analysis detected a significant decrease in the alpha (p < 0.01), theta (p = 0.01) and beta (p = 0.035) frequencies post-stimulation. No significant interaction was observed between dog, attitude, and stimulation in the multivariate model, neither within the same dog nor between individuals. There was a significant increase in the HRV measured by the standard deviation of the inter-beat (SDNN) index (p < 0.01) and a decrease in mean heart rate (p < 0.01) after tcVNS. The tcVNS was found to be well-tolerated. The results of this pilot study suggest that EEG and ECG can detect changes in brain activity and HRV associated with tcVNS in healthy dogs. Larger randomized controlled studies are required to confirm the results of this study and to assess tcVNS potential therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gibrann Castillo
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Luis Gaitero
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Sonja Fonfara
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Gabrielle Monteith
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Fiona James
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Fiona James
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22
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Inflammation in pediatric epilepsies: Update on clinical features and treatment options. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:107959. [PMID: 33867302 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of inflammation is increasingly recognized in triggering or sustaining epileptic activity. In the last decades, increasing research has provided definite evidence to support the link between immunity, inflammatory process, and epilepsy. Neuro- and systemic inflammation play a pivotal role in driving epileptogenesis through different pathogenetic mechanisms: the activation of innate immunity in glia, neurons, and microvasculature, the brain mediated by blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment, and the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules produced by both arms of immunity. More recently, research has focused on the adverse effects of maternal or early-life immune activation and cytokine imbalance on fetal neurodevelopment and postnatal epilepsy. A complex crosstalk between the immune and nervous system, and a crucial interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors may influence structures and functions of the developing brain. A better understanding of the inflammatory process in promoting epilepsy implies that targeting specific pathways may be effective in seizure control. Multiple targets have been identified so far, and several antiseizure interventions are obtained by inhibiting inflammatory signaling or protecting/restoring BBB. All this evidence has changed the field of epilepsy research and neuropharmacology. Further developments and new treatments will rapidly emerge to improve seizure management in inflammation-related epilepsies. This article is part of the Special Issue "Severe Infantile Epilepsies".
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23
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The trigeminal pathways. J Neurol 2022; 269:3443-3460. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11002-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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24
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Falvey A, Metz CN, Tracey KJ, Pavlov VA. Peripheral nerve stimulation and immunity: the expanding opportunities for providing mechanistic insight and therapeutic intervention. Int Immunol 2022; 34:107-118. [PMID: 34498051 PMCID: PMC8783605 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-clinical research advances our understanding of the vagus nerve-mediated regulation of immunity and clinical trials successfully utilize electrical vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of patients with inflammatory disorders. This symbiotic relationship between pre-clinical and clinical research exploring the vagus nerve-based 'inflammatory reflex' has substantially contributed to establishing the field of bioelectronic medicine. Recent studies identify a crosstalk between the vagus nerve and other neural circuitries in controlling inflammation and delineate new neural immunoregulatory pathways. Here we outline current mechanistic insights into the role of vagal and non-vagal neural pathways in neuro-immune communication and inflammatory regulation. We also provide a timely overview of expanding opportunities for bioelectronic neuromodulation in the treatment of various inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Falvey
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Christine N Metz
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Kevin J Tracey
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Valentin A Pavlov
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
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25
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Molero-Chamizo A, Nitsche MA, Bolz A, Andújar Barroso RT, Alameda Bailén JR, García Palomeque JC, Rivera-Urbina GN. Non-Invasive Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia Symptoms: A Study Protocol. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12010095. [PMID: 35053839 PMCID: PMC8774206 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulation of the vagus nerve, a parasympathetic nerve that controls the neuro-digestive, vascular, and immune systems, induces pain relief, particularly in clinical conditions such as headache and rheumatoid arthritis. Transmission through vagal afferents towards the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST), the central relay nucleus of the vagus nerve, has been proposed as the main physiological mechanism that reduces pain intensity after vagal stimulation. Chronic pain symptoms of fibromyalgia patients might benefit from stimulation of the vagus nerve via normalization of altered autonomic and immune systems causing their respective symptoms. However, multi-session non-invasive vagal stimulation effects on fibromyalgia have not been evaluated in randomized clinical trials. We propose a parallel group, sham-controlled, randomized study to modulate the sympathetic–vagal balance and pain intensity in fibromyalgia patients by application of non-invasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) over the vagal auricular and cervical branches. We will recruit 136 fibromyalgia patients with chronic moderate to high pain intensity. The primary outcome measure will be pain intensity, and secondary measures will be fatigue, health-related quality of life, sleep disorders, and depression. Heart rate variability and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels will be obtained as secondary physiological measures. We hypothesize that multiple tVNS sessions (five per week, for 4 weeks) will reduce pain intensity and improve quality of life as a result of normalization of the vagal control of nociception and immune–autonomic functions. Since both vagal branches project to the NST, we do not predict significantly different results between the two stimulation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Molero-Chamizo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Psychology, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain; (R.T.A.B.); (J.R.A.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-959218478
| | - Michael A. Nitsche
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany;
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, 44789 Bochum, Germany
| | - Armin Bolz
- tVNS Technologies GmbH, Ebrardstr. 31, 91052 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Rafael Tomás Andújar Barroso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Psychology, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain; (R.T.A.B.); (J.R.A.B.)
| | - José R. Alameda Bailén
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Psychology, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain; (R.T.A.B.); (J.R.A.B.)
| | - Jesús Carlos García Palomeque
- Department of the Histology, School of Medicine, Cadiz University and District Jerez Costa-N., Andalusian Health Service, 11003 Cádiz, Spain;
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26
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Yetis O, Guner O, Akkaya I, Guneli E, Bagriyanik A, Tozburun S. Vagus nerve bundle stimulation using 1505-nm laser irradiation in an in-vivo rat model. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2022; 15:e202100197. [PMID: 34529359 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202100197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Laser nerve stimulation using near-infrared laser irradiation has recently been studied in the peripheral nervous system as an alternative method to conventional electrical nerve stimulation. Bringing this method to the vagus nerve model could leverage this emerging stimulation approach to be tested in broader preclinical applications. Here, we report the capability of the laser nerve stimulation method on the rat vagus nerve bundle with a 1505-nm diode laser operated in continuous-wave mode. Studies of the stimulation threshold and laser-induced acute thermal injury to the nerve bundle were also performed to determine a temperature window for safe, reliable and reproducible laser stimulation of the rat vagus nerve bundle. The results show that laser stimulation of the vagus nerve bundle provides reliable and reproducible nerve stimulation in a rat model. These results also confirm a threshold temperature of >42°C with acute nerve damage observed above 46°C. A strong correlation was obtained between the laser time required to raise the nerve temperature above the stimulation threshold and the mean arterial pressure response. Advantages of the method such as non-contact delivery of external stimulus signals at mm scaled distance in air, enhanced spatial selectivity and electrical artefact-free measurements may indicate its potential to counteract the side effects of conventional electrical vagus nerve stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozan Yetis
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozge Guner
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ibrahim Akkaya
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ensari Guneli
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Alper Bagriyanik
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Serhat Tozburun
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
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27
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Torrealba-Acosta G, Butt H, Edmondson EA, Willaert R, Viswanathan A, Goldman AM. A Neurostimulation-Triggered Trigeminal Neuralgia-like Pain: Risk Factors and Management. Neurol Clin Pract 2021; 11:e760-e762. [PMID: 34840901 DOI: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000001050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Torrealba-Acosta
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Haroon Butt
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Everton A Edmondson
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Rebecca Willaert
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Ashwin Viswanathan
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Alica M Goldman
- Department of Neurology (GT-A, HB, EAE, AMG), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; GeneDx (RW); and Department of Neurosurgery (AV), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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28
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Komisaruk BR, Frangos E. Vagus nerve afferent stimulation: Projection into the brain, reflexive physiological, perceptual, and behavioral responses, and clinical relevance. Auton Neurosci 2021; 237:102908. [PMID: 34823149 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The afferent vagus nerves project to diverse neural networks within the brainstem and forebrain, based on neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and functional (fMRI) brain imaging evidence. In response to afferent vagal stimulation, multiple homeostatic visceral reflexes are elicited. Physiological stimuli and both invasive and non-invasive electrical stimulation that activate the afferent vagus elicit perceptual and behavioral responses that are of physiological and clinical significance. In the present review, we address these multiple roles of the afferent vagus under normal and pathological conditions, based on both animal and human evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry R Komisaruk
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07102, United States.
| | - Eleni Frangos
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
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29
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Mol MBA, Strous MTA, van Osch FHM, Vogelaar FJ, Barten DG, Farchi M, Foudraine NA, Gidron Y. Heart-rate-variability (HRV), predicts outcomes in COVID-19. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258841. [PMID: 34710127 PMCID: PMC8553073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with COVID-19 present with a variety of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild or asymptomatic disease to severe illness and death. Whilst previous studies have clarified these and several other aspects of COVID-19, one of the ongoing challenges regarding COVID-19 is to determine which patients are at risk of adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection. It is hypothesized that this is the result of insufficient inhibition of the immune response, with the vagus nerve being an important neuro-immuno-modulator of inflammation. Vagus nerve activity can be non-invasively indexed by heart-rate-variability (HRV). Therefore, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of HRV, as a surrogate marker for vagus nerve activity, in predicting mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) referral, in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS A retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients (n = 271) diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 2020 and May 2020, without a history of cardiac arrhythmias (including atrial and ventricular premature contractions), pacemaker, or current bradycardia (heart rate <50 bpm) or tachycardia (heart rate >110 bpm). HRV was based on one 10s ECG recorded at admission. 3-week survival and ICU referral were examined. RESULTS HRV indexed as standard deviation of normal to normal heartbeat intervals (SDNN) predicted survival (H.R. = 0.53 95%CI: 0.31-0.92). This protective role was observed only in patients aged 70 years and older, not in younger patients. HRV below median value also predicted ICU referral within the first week of hospitalization (H.R = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.29-0.90, P = 0.021). CONCLUSION Higher HRV predicts greater chances of survival, especially in patients aged 70 years and older with COVID-19, independent of major prognostic factors. Low HRV predicts ICU indication and admission in the first week after hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje B A Mol
- Department of Surgery, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Maud T A Strous
- Department of Surgery, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands.,Department of Intensive Care, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Frits H M van Osch
- Department of Epidemiology, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - F Jeroen Vogelaar
- Department of Surgery, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis G Barten
- Department of Emergency Medicine, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Moshe Farchi
- School of Social Work, Tel-Hai College, Qiryat Shemona, Israël
| | - Norbert A Foudraine
- Department of Intensive Care, VieCuri Medical Centre Venlo, Venlo, The Netherlands
| | - Yori Gidron
- Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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30
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Harcourt-Brown TR, Carter M. Implantable vagus nerve stimulator settings and short-term adverse effects in epileptic dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2021; 35:2350-2358. [PMID: 34472639 PMCID: PMC8478022 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Implantable vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) devices can be used to treat epilepsy in dogs. Adverse effects and short-term complications associated with delivering suggested therapeutic electrical stimulation (>1.5 mA) are not well-described. OBJECTIVES To compare complications and adverse effects observed with standard and rapid protocols of current increase. ANIMALS Sixteen client-owned dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. METHODS Nonrandomized, nonblinded prospective cohort study. Surgical complications, stimulation-related adverse effects, modifications to stimulator settings, number of hospital visits, and time to reach 1.5 mA stimulation current without intolerable adverse effects were described in dogs receiving current increases every 1 to 3 weeks (slow ramping) and dogs receiving current increases every 8 to 12 hours (fast ramping). RESULTS Self-resolving surgery site seromas formed in 6 dogs. No other surgical complications were observed. Fourteen dogs reached 1.5 mA. Coughing (11/14 dogs; 5 slow, 6 fast ramping) was the most common adverse effect. Intolerable coughing that limited current increases despite changing other stimulus parameters occurred in 6/7 of the fast-ramping group and in none of the slow-ramping group. Median time to 1.5 mA was 72 days (range, 28-98) in the slow-ramping group and 77 days (range, 3-152) in the fast-ramping group. Median number of clinic visits was 6 for the slow-ramping group (range, 5-6) and 3 for the fast-ramping group (range, 1-7). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Coughing is a common adverse effect of VNS in dogs and generally is well tolerated, particularly if current is increased slowly and other stimulation parameters are adapted for effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Carter
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
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31
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Kunii N, Koizumi T, Kawai K, Shimada S, Saito N. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Amplifies Task-Induced Cerebral Blood Flow Increase. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:726087. [PMID: 34434098 PMCID: PMC8380847 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.726087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an established palliative surgical treatment for refractory epilepsy. Recently, pairing VNS with rehabilitation received growing attention for their joint effect on neural plasticity. However, objective biological measurements proving the interaction between VNS effects and cortical recruitment are lacking. Studies reported that VNS induced little blood flow increase in the cerebral cortex. Objective This study tested the hypothesis that pairing VNS with a cognitive task amplifies task-induced cerebral blood flow (CBF). Methods This study included 21 patients implanted with vagus nerve stimulator to treat refractory epilepsy. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with sensors on the forehead measured CBF changes in the frontal cortices in response to VNS. Cerebral blood flow was measured when VNS was delivered during a resting state or a verbal fluency task. We analyzed the VNS effect on CBF in relation to stimulation intensity and clinical responsiveness. Results We observed no CBF change when VNS was delivered during rest, irrespective of stimulation intensity or responsiveness. Cerebral blood flow changed significantly when a verbal fluency task was paired with VNS in a stimulation intensity-dependent manner. Cerebral blood flow changes in the non-responders showed no intensity-dependency. Conclusion Our results could be an important biological proof of the interaction between VNS effects and cortical recruitment, supporting the validity of pairing VNS with rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoto Kunii
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Koizumi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Kawai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Seijiro Shimada
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuhito Saito
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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32
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Cao J, Zhang Y, Li H, Yan Z, Liu X, Hou X, Chen W, Hodges S, Kong J, Liu B. Different modulation effects of 1 Hz and 20 Hz transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on the functional connectivity of the periaqueductal gray in patients with migraine. J Transl Med 2021; 19:354. [PMID: 34404427 PMCID: PMC8371886 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A growing body of evidence suggests that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) may relieve symptoms of migraineurs. Frequency is one of the key stimulation parameters. The aim of this study is to investigate the modulation effect of taVNS frequency on the descending pain modulation system (DPMS) in patients with migraine. Methods Twenty-four episodic migraineurs without aura (21 females) were recruited for the single-blind, crossover, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. Each participant attended two separate fMRI scan sessions, one for 1 Hz and another for 20 Hz taVNS, in a random order. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was applied using the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (PAG) as the region of interest. Results Compared with the pre-taVNS resting state, continuous 1 Hz taVNS (during) produced a significant increase in functional connectivity between the PAG and the bilateral middle cingulate cortex (MCC), right precuneus, left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and left cuneus. Compared with 20 Hz taVNS, 1 Hz taVNS produced greater PAG connectivity increases with the MCC, right precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, left insula, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of migraine attacks in the previous 4 weeks and the PAG-MCC functional connectivity in the pre-taVNS resting-state before 1 Hz taVNS. Conclusions Our findings suggest that taVNS with different frequencies may produce different modulation effects on the descending pain modulation system, demonstrating the important role of stimulation frequency in taVNS treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-03024-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhaoxian Yan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xian Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoyan Hou
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weicui Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sierra Hodges
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Transcutaneous auricular VNS applied to experimental pain: A paired behavioral and EEG study using thermonociceptive CO2 laser. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254480. [PMID: 34252124 PMCID: PMC8274876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcutaneous auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique with potential analgesic effects. Several studies based on subjective behavioral responses suggest that taVNS modulates nociception differently with either pro-nociceptive or anti-nociceptive effects. Objective This study aimed to characterize how taVNS alters pain perception, by investigating its effects on event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by different types of spinothalamic and lemniscal somatosensory stimuli, combined with quantitative sensory testing (detection threshold and intensity ratings). Methods We performed 3 experiments designed to study the time-dependent effects of taVNS and compare with standard cervical VNS (cVNS). In Experiment 1, we assessed the effects of taVNS after 3 hours of stimulation. In Experiment 2, we focused on the immediate effects of the duty cycle (OFF vs. ON phases). Experiments 1 and 2 included 22 and 15 healthy participants respectively. Both experiments consisted of a 2-day cross-over protocol, in which subjects received taVNS and sham stimulation sequentially. In addition, subjects received a set of nociceptive (thermonociceptive CO2 laser, mechanical pinprick) and non-nociceptive (vibrotactile, cool) stimuli, for which we recorded detection thresholds, intensity of perception and ERPs. Finally, in Experiment 3, we tested 13 epileptic patients with an implanted cVNS by comparing OFF vs. ON cycles, using a similar experimental procedure. Results Neither taVNS nor cVNS appeared to modulate the cerebral and behavioral aspects of somatosensory perception. Conclusion The potential effect of taVNS on nociception requires a cautious interpretation, as we found no objective change in behavioral and cerebral responses to spinothalamic and lemniscal somatosensory stimulations.
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Green PG, Alvarez P, Levine JD. A role for gut microbiota in early-life stress-induced widespread muscle pain in the adult rat. Mol Pain 2021; 17:17448069211022952. [PMID: 34096398 PMCID: PMC8186117 DOI: 10.1177/17448069211022952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult rats that experienced neonatal limited bedding (NLB), a form of early-life stress, experience persistent muscle mechanical hyperalgesia. Since there is a growing recognition that the gut microbiome regulates pain and nociception, and that early-life stress produces a long-lasting impact on the gut microbiome, we tested the hypothesis that persistent muscle hyperalgesia seen in adult NLB rats could be ameliorated by interventions that modify the gut microbiome. Adult NLB rats received probiotics, either Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (10 billion CFU/150 ml) or De Simone Formulation (DSF) (112.5 billion CFU/150 ml mixture of 8 bacterial species), in their drinking water, or non-absorbable antibiotics, rifaximin or neomycin, admixed with cookie dough, to provide 50 mg/kg. Mechanical nociceptive threshold in the gastrocnemius muscle was evaluated before and at several time points after administration of probiotics or antibiotics. Adult NLB rats fed probiotics L. Rhamnosus or DSF, antibiotics, as well as rats fed non-absorbable antibiotics rifaximin or neomycin, had markedly attenuated muscle mechanical hyperalgesia. We hypothesize that persistent skeletal muscle hyperalgesia produced by NLB stress may be, at least in part, due to a contribution of the gut microbiome, and that modulation of gut microbiome using probiotics or non-absorbable antibiotics, may be novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Green
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Preventative and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Division of Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pedro Alvarez
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Division of Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jon D Levine
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Division of Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Jon D Levine, University of California San Francisco, Box 0440, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Mastitskaya S, Thompson N, Holder D. Selective Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of ARDS: A Rationale for Neuro-Immunomodulation in COVID-19 Disease. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:667036. [PMID: 33927594 PMCID: PMC8076564 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.667036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most severe form of acute lung injury. It is induced by sepsis, aspiration, and pneumonia, including that caused by SARS coronavirus and human influenza viruses. The main pathophysiological mechanism of ARDS is a systemic inflammatory response. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can limit cytokine production in the spleen and thereby dampen any systemic inflammation and inflammation-induced tissue damage in the lungs and other organs. However, the effects of increased parasympathetic outflow to the lungs when non-selective VNS is applied may result in bronchoconstriction, increased mucus secretion and enhance local pulmonary inflammatory activity; this may outweigh the beneficial systemic anti-inflammatory action of VNS. Organ/function-specific therapy can be achieved by imaging of localized fascicle activity within the vagus nerve and selective stimulation of identified organ-specific fascicles. This may be able to provide selective neuromodulation of different pathways within the vagus nerve and offer a novel means to improve outcome in ARDS. This has motivated this review in which we discuss the mechanisms of anti-inflammatory effects of VNS, progress in selective VNS techniques, and a possible application for ARDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Mastitskaya
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Suarez-Roca H, Mamoun N, Sigurdson MI, Maixner W. Baroreceptor Modulation of the Cardiovascular System, Pain, Consciousness, and Cognition. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:1373-1423. [PMID: 33577130 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c190038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Baroreceptors are mechanosensitive elements of the peripheral nervous system that maintain cardiovascular homeostasis by coordinating the responses to external and internal environmental stressors. While it is well known that carotid and cardiopulmonary baroreceptors modulate sympathetic vasomotor and parasympathetic cardiac neural autonomic drive, to avoid excessive fluctuations in vascular tone and maintain intravascular volume, there is increasing recognition that baroreceptors also modulate a wide range of non-cardiovascular physiological responses via projections from the nucleus of the solitary tract to regions of the central nervous system, including the spinal cord. These projections regulate pain perception, sleep, consciousness, and cognition. In this article, we summarize the physiology of baroreceptor pathways and responses to baroreceptor activation with an emphasis on the mechanisms influencing cardiovascular function, pain perception, consciousness, and cognition. Understanding baroreceptor-mediated effects on cardiac and extra-cardiac autonomic activities will further our understanding of the pathophysiology of multiple common clinical conditions, such as chronic pain, disorders of consciousness (e.g., abnormalities in sleep-wake), and cognitive impairment, which may result in the identification and implementation of novel treatment modalities. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1373-1423, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heberto Suarez-Roca
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Negmeldeen Mamoun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Martin I Sigurdson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Landspitali, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - William Maixner
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Ibañez C, Vicencio S, Quintanilla ME, Maldonado P. Interoception and alcohol addiction: Vagotomy induces long-lasting suppression of relapse-type behavior. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12836. [PMID: 31846188 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Drug addictions are chronic mental disorders characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use, despite their negative consequences. It is a priority to find therapeutic alternatives to prevent relapse, as there are still no treatments that can ensure abstinence. One of the neural systems implicated in the appearance of the states of discomfort that motivate relapse is the interoceptive system, which oversees our internal body states. However, less attention has been given to the peripheral components of the interoceptive system and their role in addictions. Within these pathways, the vagus nerve represents one of the main visceral afferents of the interoceptive system. We hypothesized that the interruption of visceral afferent pathways would decrease the motivational effects of the drug, thereby either decreasing or preventing drug cravings. To test this idea, we used rats of a high-alcohol-drinking line and measured the effect that vagus nerve resection had on the relapse-like alcohol drinking, expressed as the alcohol deprivation effect, a phenomenon that has been linked to addiction-related events such as alcohol cravings. We found that even though vagotomy completely eliminates the effect of alcohol deprivation, it has no impact on water consumption or animal weight. These results give us valuable information about the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and alcohol use disorders and allow us to propose new clinical research that might have translational options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ibañez
- Department of Psychiatry Clinical Hospital of the Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Sergio Vicencio
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Pedro Maldonado
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile
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Rehouma H, Noumeir R, Essouri S, Jouvet P. Advancements in Methods and Camera-Based Sensors for the Quantification of Respiration. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E7252. [PMID: 33348827 PMCID: PMC7766256 DOI: 10.3390/s20247252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of respiratory function allows early detection of potential disorders in the respiratory system and provides useful information for medical management. There is a wide range of applications for breathing assessment, from measurement systems in a clinical environment to applications involving athletes. Many studies on pulmonary function testing systems and breath monitoring have been conducted over the past few decades, and their results have the potential to broadly impact clinical practice. However, most of these works require physical contact with the patient to produce accurate and reliable measures of the respiratory function. There is still a significant shortcoming of non-contact measuring systems in their ability to fit into the clinical environment. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the current advances and systems in respiratory function assessment, particularly camera-based systems. A classification of the applicable research works is presented according to their techniques and recorded/quantified respiration parameters. In addition, the current solutions are discussed with regards to their direct applicability in different settings, such as clinical or home settings, highlighting their specific strengths and limitations in the different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haythem Rehouma
- École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada;
| | - Rita Noumeir
- École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada;
| | - Sandrine Essouri
- CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (S.E.); (P.J.)
| | - Philippe Jouvet
- CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; (S.E.); (P.J.)
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The Instant Effects of Continuous Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation at Acupoints on the Functional Connectivity of Amygdala in Migraine without Aura: A Preliminary Study. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8870589. [PMID: 33381165 PMCID: PMC7759401 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8870589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A growing body of evidence suggests that both auricular acupuncture and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can induce antinociception and relieve symptoms of migraine. However, their instant effects and central treatment mechanism remain unclear. Many studies proved that the amygdalae play a vital role not only in emotion modulation but also in pain processing. In this study, we investigated the modulation effects of continuous taVNS at acupoints on the FC of the bilateral amygdalae in MwoA. Methods Thirty episodic migraineurs were recruited for the single-blind, crossover functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. Each participant attended two kinds of eight-minute stimulations, taVNS and sham-taVNS (staVNS), separated by seven days in random order. Finally, 27 of them were included in the analysis of seed-to-voxel FC with the left/right amygdala as seeds. Results Compared with staVNS, the FC decreased during taVNS between the left amygdala and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, right supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral paracentral lobules, bilateral postcingulum gyrus, and right frontal superior medial gyrus, so did the FC of the right amygdala and left MFG. A significant positive correlation was observed between the FC of the left amygdala and right SMA and the frequency/total time of migraine attacks during the preceding four weeks. Conclusion Continuous taVNS at acupoints can modulate the FC between the bilateral amygdalae and pain-related brain regions in MwoA, involving the limbic system, default mode network, and pain matrix, with obvious differences between the left amygdala and the right amygdala. The taVNS may produce treatment effects by modulating the abnormal FC of the amygdala and pain networks, possibly having the same central mechanism as auricular acupuncture.
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Zhang Y, Huang Y, Li H, Yan Z, Zhang Y, Liu X, Hou X, Chen W, Tu Y, Hodges S, Chen H, Liu B, Kong J. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for migraine: an fMRI study. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2020; 46:145-150. [PMID: 33262253 DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2020-102088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysfunction of the thalamocortical connectivity network is thought to underlie the pathophysiology of the migraine. This current study aimed to explore the thalamocortical connectivity changes during 4 weeks of continuous transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) treatment on migraine patients. METHODS 70 migraine patients were recruited and randomized in an equal ratio to receive real taVNS or sham taVNS treatments for 4 weeks. Resting-state functional MRI was collected before and after treatment. The thalamus was parceled into functional regions of interest (ROIs) on the basis of six priori-defined cortical ROIs covering the entire cortex. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis between each thalamic subregion and the whole brain was further compared across groups after treatment. RESULTS Of the 59 patients that finished the study, those in the taVNS group had significantly reduced number of migraine days, pain intensity and migraine attack times after 4 weeks of treatment compared with the sham taVNS. Functional connectivity analysis revealed that taVNS can increase the connectivity between the motor-related thalamus subregion and anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex, and decrease the connectivity between occipital cortex-related thalamus subregion and postcentral gyrus/precuneus. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that taVNS can relieve the symptoms of headache as well as modulate the thalamocortical circuits in migraine patients. The results provide insights into the neural mechanism of taVNS and reveal potential therapeutic targets for migraine patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiting Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhaoxian Yan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xian Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoyan Hou
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weicui Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sierra Hodges
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Helen Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Conlon B, Langguth B, Hamilton C, Hughes S, Meade E, Connor CO, Schecklmann M, Hall DA, Vanneste S, Leong SL, Subramaniam T, D’Arcy S, Lim HH. Bimodal neuromodulation combining sound and tongue stimulation reduces tinnitus symptoms in a large randomized clinical study. Sci Transl Med 2020; 12:12/564/eabb2830. [DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb2830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tinnitus is a phantom auditory perception coded in the brain that can be bothersome or debilitating, affecting 10 to 15% of the population. Currently, there is no clinically recommended drug or device treatment for this major health condition. Animal research has revealed that sound paired with electrical somatosensory stimulation can drive extensive plasticity within the brain for tinnitus treatment. To investigate this bimodal neuromodulation approach in humans, we evaluated a noninvasive device that delivers sound to the ears and electrical stimulation to the tongue in a randomized, double-blinded, exploratory study that enrolled 326 adults with chronic subjective tinnitus. Participants were randomized into three parallel arms with different stimulation settings. Clinical outcomes were evaluated over a 12-week treatment period and a 12-month posttreatment phase. For the primary endpoints, participants achieved a statistically significant reduction in tinnitus symptom severity at the end of treatment based on two commonly used outcome measures, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Cohen’s d effect size: −0.87 to −0.92 across arms; P < 0.001) and Tinnitus Functional Index (−0.77 to −0.87; P < 0.001). Therapeutic improvements continued for 12 months after treatment for specific bimodal stimulation settings, which had not previously been demonstrated in a large cohort for a tinnitus intervention. The treatment also achieved high compliance and satisfaction rates with no treatment-related serious adverse events. These positive therapeutic and long-term results motivate further clinical trials toward establishing bimodal neuromodulation as a clinically recommended device treatment for tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Conlon
- Neuromod Devices Limited, Dublin D08 R2YP, Ireland
- School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin D02 R590, Ireland
- Department of Otolaryngology, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin D08 NHY1, Ireland
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center of University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | | | | | - Emma Meade
- Neuromod Devices Limited, Dublin D08 R2YP, Ireland
| | | | - Martin Schecklmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center of University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Deborah A. Hall
- National Institute for Health Research Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor 43500, Malaysia
| | - Sven Vanneste
- Lab for Clinical and Integrative Neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Sook Ling Leong
- Neuromod Devices Limited, Dublin D08 R2YP, Ireland
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | | | - Shona D’Arcy
- Neuromod Devices Limited, Dublin D08 R2YP, Ireland
| | - Hubert H. Lim
- Neuromod Devices Limited, Dublin D08 R2YP, Ireland
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Harris AR. Current perspectives on the safe electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves with platinum electrodes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.2217/bem-2020-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This review details some peripheral nervous system (PNS) targets and electrode designs used for electrical stimulation. It investigates limitations in current knowledge of safe electrical stimulation and possible future electrode developments. Current PNS targets are large, leading to poor resolution and off-target side-effects. Most clinical devices are platinum or platinum/iridium embedded in an insulation material. Their safety is usually guided by the Shannon plot, which is not valid for the PNS. New electrode designs are needed to target smaller nerve fibers, enabling higher resolution electrical therapies with fewer off-target side-effects. Damage can occur through biological and electrochemical mechanisms. Greater mechanistic understanding is required to ensure safe and efficacious, long-term electrical stimulation with new electrode materials, geometries and stimulation waveforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Harris
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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Silberstein SD, Yuan H, Najib U, Ailani J, Morais ALD, Mathew PG, Liebler E, Tassorelli C, Diener HC. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for primary headache: A clinical update. Cephalalgia 2020; 40:1370-1384. [PMID: 32718243 DOI: 10.1177/0333102420941864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) is a proven treatment for cluster headache and migraine. Several possible mechanisms of action by which nVNS mitigates headache have been identified. Methods We conducted a narrative review of recent scientific and clinical research into nVNS for headache, including findings from mechanistic studies and their possible relationships to the clinical effects of nVNS. Results Findings from animal and human studies have provided possible mechanistic explanations for nVNS efficacy in headache involving four core areas: Autonomic nervous system functions; cortical spreading depression inhibition; neurotransmitter regulation; and nociceptive modulation. We discuss how overlap and interplay among these areas may underlie the utility of nVNS in the context of clinical evidence supporting its safety and efficacy as acute and preventive therapy for both cluster headache and migraine. Possible future nVNS applications are also discussed. Conclusion Significant progress over the past several years has yielded valuable mechanistic and clinical evidence that, combined with the excellent safety and tolerability profile of nVNS, suggests that it should be considered a first-line treatment for both acute and preventive treatment of cluster headache, an effective option for acute treatment of migraine, and a highly relevant, practical option for migraine prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Silberstein
- Jefferson Headache Center, Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hsiangkuo Yuan
- Jefferson Headache Center, Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Umer Najib
- Department of Neurology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Jessica Ailani
- Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Andreia Lopes de Morais
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Paul G Mathew
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Braintree, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric Liebler
- electroCore, Inc., Basking Ridge, New Jersey, USA
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Headache Science Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Hans-Christoph Diener
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Is cervical region tightness related to vagal function and stomach symptoms? Med Hypotheses 2020; 142:109819. [PMID: 32408072 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The vagal nerve is a cranial nerve that carries mainly parasympathetic fibers (average 75%) with both sensory and motor functions. The vagal nerve contains a complex neuro-endocrine-immune network. The majority, at least 66%, of the gastric myenteric neurons receive direct cholinergic excitatory stimulation from the pre-enteric vagal nerve. Changes in vagal function may cause stomach problems, although the mechanisms that change the vagal function have not yet been fully illuminated. Considering the course of the vagal nerve in the cervical region, it is thought that conditions such as stiffness, tightness and decreased elasticity in this region may compress the vagal nerve andmay affect vagal function. According to this hypothesis, neuroinflammation and hyperalgesia may occur in the vagal nerve under mechanical pressure, resulting in increased complaints of pain and burning in the stomach increases. However, as the vagal nerve has various effects on the motility of the stomach and vagal dysfunction affects the motor function of the stomach, relaxation techniques applied to the soft tissues of the cervical region will provide mechanical relief in the nerve. Thus, the vagal nerve will be decompressed and be able to function optimally. According to our clinical observations, in patients whose soft tissues in the cervical region are relaxed, gastric symptoms are decreased. Based on research results and clinical experience, cervical region tightness can be considered to cause stomach problems through the vagal nerve, and soft tissue relaxation of the cervical region can be a promising treatment method for stomach symptoms.
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Rosso P, Iannitelli A, Pacitti F, Quartini A, Fico E, Fiore M, Greco A, Ralli M, Tirassa P. Vagus nerve stimulation and Neurotrophins: a biological psychiatric perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:338-353. [PMID: 32278791 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Since 2004, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used in treatment-resistant or treatment-intolerant depressive episodes. Today, VNS is suggested as possible therapy for a larger spectrum of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorders, and panic disorders. Despite a large body of literature supports the application of VNS in patients' treatment, the exact mechanism of action of VNS remains not fully understood. In the present study, the major knowledges on the brain areas and neuronal pathways regulating neuroimmune and autonomic response subserving VNS effects are reviewed. Furthermore, the involvement of the neurotrophins (NTs) Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in vagus nerve (VN) physiology and stimulation is revised. The data on brain NGF/BDNF synthesis and in turn on the activity-dependent plasticity, connectivity rearrangement and neurogenesis, are presented and discussed as potential biomarkers for optimizing stimulatory parameters for VNS. A vagus nerve-neurotrophin interaction model in the brain is finally proposed as a working hypothesis for future studies addressed to understand pathophysiology of psychiatric disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Rosso
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (IBBC), Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Iannitelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Francesca Pacitti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; Psychiatry Unit San Salvatore Hospital, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Adele Quartini
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Elena Fico
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (IBBC), Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Fiore
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (IBBC), Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Greco
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Ralli
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Tirassa
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (IBBC), Rome, Italy.
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Abstract
Baroreceptors are mechanosensitive elements of the peripheral nervous system that maintain homeostasis by coordinating physiologic responses to external and internal stimuli. While it is recognized that carotid and cardiopulmonary baroreceptor reflexes modulate autonomic output to mitigate excessive fluctuations in arterial blood pressure and to maintain intravascular volume, increasing evidence suggests that baroreflex pathways also project to key regions of the central nervous system that regulate somatosensory, somatomotor, and central nervous system arousal. In addition to maintaining autonomic homeostasis, baroreceptor activity modulates the perception of pain, as well as neuroimmune, neuroendocrine, and cognitive responses to physical and psychologic stressors. This review summarizes the role that baroreceptor pathways play in modulating acute and chronic pain perception. The contribution of baroreceptor function to postoperative outcomes is also presented. Finally, methods that enhance baroreceptor function, which hold promise in improving postoperative and pain management outcomes, are presented.
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Pigarev IN, Pigareva ML, Levichkina EV. Probable Mechanism of Antiepileptic Effect of the Vagus Nerve Stimulation in the Context of the Recent Results in Sleep Research. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:160. [PMID: 32180701 PMCID: PMC7059639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan N Pigarev
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute), Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina L Pigareva
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V Levichkina
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute), Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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48
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Capilupi MJ, Kerath SM, Becker LB. Vagus Nerve Stimulation and the Cardiovascular System. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2020; 10:cshperspect.a034173. [PMID: 31109966 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a034173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The vagus nerve plays an important role in maintaining physiological homeostasis, which includes reflex pathways that regulate cardiac function. The link between vagus nerve activity and the high-frequency component of heart rate variability (HRV) has been well established, correlating with vagal tone. Recently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been investigated as a therapeutic for a multitude of diseases, such as treatment-resistant epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and asthma. Because of the vagus nerve's innervation of the heart, VNS has been identified as a potential therapy for cardiovascular disorders, such as cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. Here, we review the current state of preclinical and clinical studies, as well as the potential application of VNS in relation to the cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Capilupi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York 11030
| | - Samantha M Kerath
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York 11030
| | - Lance B Becker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York 11030.,Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York 11030.,Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York 11549
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49
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Sattin D, Leonardi M, Picozzi M. The autonomic nervous system and the brainstem: A fundamental role or the background actors for consciousness generation? Hypothesis, evidence, and future directions for rehabilitation and theoretical approaches. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01474. [PMID: 31782916 PMCID: PMC6955833 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION One of the hardest challenges of the third century is to develop theories that could joint different results for a global explanation of human consciousness. Some important theories have been proposed, trying to explain the emergence of consciousness as the result of different progressive changes in the elaboration of information during brain processing, giving particular attention to the thalamocortical system. METHODS In this article, a summary review of results that highlighted as cerebral cortex could not be so fundamental for consciousness generation is proposed. In detail, three topics were analyzed: (a) studies using experimental approach (manipulating stimuli or brain areas), such as decorticated animals or subliminal presentation of stimuli; (b) studies using anatomo-clinical method (conscious inferenced from observed behaviors); and (c) data from neurostimulation of subcortical areas or of the autonomic nervous system. RESULTS We sketch two speculative hypothesis relative, firstly, to the possible independence from cortical areas of the on/off mechanism for consciousness generation and, secondly, to the possible role of information variability generated by the bottom-up exchange of information among neural systems as a switch for consciousness. CONCLUSIONS A broad range of evidence regarding the functional role of the brainstem and autonomic nervous system is reviewed for its bearing on a future hypothesis regarding the generation of consciousness experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Sattin
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit and Coma Research CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.BestaMilanItaly
- Experimental Medicine and Medical Humanities‐PhD ProgramBiotechnology and Life Sciences Department and Center for Clinical EthicsInsubria UniversityVareseItaly
| | - Matilde Leonardi
- Neurology, Public Health, Disability Unit and Coma Research CentreFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C.BestaMilanItaly
| | - Mario Picozzi
- Biotechnology and Life Sciences Department and Center for Clinical EthicsInsubria UniversityVareseItaly
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50
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Beckelhymer LM, Fink DS, Litts JK. Behavioral Management of Laryngeal Complaints Caused by Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Medically Refractory Epilepsy. J Voice 2020; 35:651-654. [PMID: 31889648 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2019.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS This study investigated behavioral management of dysphonia and laryngeal dyspnea secondary to use of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in an individual with medically refractory epilepsy. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. METHODS Medical records from a single patient were reviewed. The patient received treatment with the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and laryngologist to observe patterns of laryngeal hyperfunction using biofeedback, and treatment with the SLP to learn to perform rescue breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, and awareness of muscle tension to aid the control of symptoms during activation. Data collected included neurology and laryngology notes. Neurology notes were used to track VNS settings, tolerance, and incidence of seizures. Laryngology notes included documentation of diagnosis, treatment, and measures of patient perception of severity (ie, Voice Handicap Index, Dyspnea Index, Cough Severity Index). RESULTS Prior to treatment, the patient was unable to receive benefits from VNS due to severe laryngeal adverse effects, such that the device remained off for eight months postimplantation. Following treatment, the patient effectively managed laryngeal side effects and was able to tolerate increases in VNS output current, signal frequency, and duration. CONCLUSIONS Voice therapy was effective in managing changes in vocal fold mobility and laryngeal tension. As the number of individuals receiving VNS for epilepsy and inflammatory conditions increases, the SLP and laryngologist may play a key role in interdisciplinary management of laryngeal side effects secondary to vagal nerve stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel S Fink
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Juliana K Litts
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.
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