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Zhang H, Zhao Y, Qu Y, Du J, Peng Y. Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Feasibility Study. Neuromodulation 2024; 27:672-680. [PMID: 37865889 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2023.09.004] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation has shown promising results in improving cognitive and motor function after stroke. However, to our knowledge, there have been no studies in the modulation of the cervical vagus nerve using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with cognitive dysfunction. Thus, we conducted a single-arm feasibility trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of rTMS of the vagus nerve in patients with TBI. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled ten patients with TBI and administered half-hour vagus nerve magnetic stimulation (VNMS) sessions for ten days to evaluate the feasibility of the treatment. The Montreal cognitive assessment-Beijing (MoCA-B), the Digit Span Test, and the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) were used to measure cognitive function before and after the VNMS treatment. Physiological parameters of all subjects were assessed by electrocardiogram. RESULTS The findings showed that daily half-hour VNMS for ten days was feasible in patients with TBI, with minimal side effects and no clinically significant effects on physiological parameters. Eight patients showed improvement in MoCA-B, and five patients showed improvement in immediate memory as measured by AVLT. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that VNMS is a safe and feasible treatment option for patients with TBI with cognitive dysfunction. However, further controlled studies are necessary to establish the efficacy of VNMS in promoting cognitive recovery after TBI. SIGNIFICANCE This study is, to our knowledge, the first study to investigate the feasibility of VNMS for cognitive dysfunction in patients with TBI. Our findings offer the possibility of rTMS applied to the vagus nerve in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan, China; College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Yun Qu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Peng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong Central Hospital, Nanchong, Sichuan, China
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2
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Yang Y, Zhang R, Zhong Z, Li J, Feng Y. Efficacy of transauricular vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy: a randomized controlled exploratory study. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2289-2300. [PMID: 38063922 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07229-2] [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: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common adverse event in cancer patients, and there is still a lack of effective treatment. Transauricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a minimally invasive treatment, but there are few reports regarding its efficacy for CIPN. OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and possible mechanism of taVNS in patients with CIPN. METHODS Twenty-seven patients with CIPN were randomly divided into a taVNS group (n = 14) and a sham stimulation (SS) group (n = 13). A numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain, NCICTCAE 4.0 (neurotoxicity classification), quantitative sensory test (QST), Short-Form-Health Survey-12 (SF-12), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) were administered before the intervention (D-10) and on the day after the intervention (D0), and the inflammatory cytokines in plasma were also measured. The NRS, NCI-CTCAE 4.0, SF-12, and AIS were administered again at D30 and D90. RESULTS Compared with the SS group, the NRS and AIS in the taVNS group were significantly lower at D0. The impact lasted until D30. There were no statistically significant differences in the NRS and AIS between the 2 groups at D90. On D30, the mental component score of the SF-12 was significantly higher in the taVNS group than in the SS group. No adverse events were found. There was no significant difference in QST and plasma inflammatory cytokines between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION taVNS can relieve chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in the short term, can improve sleep status and quality of life, and is expected to become a novel clinical treatment method for CIPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Yang
- Department of Pain Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifang Zhong
- Department of Pain Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Pain Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yi Feng
- Department of Pain Medicine, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Teckentrup V, Kroemer NB. Mechanisms for survival: vagal control of goal-directed behavior. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:237-251. [PMID: 38036309 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Survival is a fundamental physiological drive, and neural circuits have evolved to prioritize actions that meet the energy demands of the body. This fine-tuning of goal-directed actions based on metabolic states ('allostasis') is deeply rooted in our brain, and hindbrain nuclei orchestrate the vital communication between the brain and body through the vagus nerve. Despite mounting evidence for vagal control of allostatic behavior in animals, its broader function in humans is still contested. Based on stimulation studies, we propose that the vagal afferent pathway supports transitions between survival modes by gating the integration of ascending bodily signals, thereby regulating reward-seeking. By reconceptualizing vagal signals as catalysts for goal-directed behavior, our perspective opens new avenues for theory-driven translational work in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Teckentrup
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; School of Psychology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Nils B Kroemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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4
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Jigo M, Carmel JB, Wang Q, Rodenkirch C. Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation improves sensory performance in humans: a randomized controlled crossover pilot study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3975. [PMID: 38368486 PMCID: PMC10874458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54026-8] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate senses depend on high-fidelity encoding by sensory receptors and error-free processing in the brain. Progress has been made towards restoring damaged sensory receptors. However, methods for on-demand treatment of impaired central sensory processing are scarce. Prior invasive studies demonstrated that continuous vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in rodents can activate the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system to rapidly improve central sensory processing. Here, we investigated whether transcutaneous VNS improves sensory performance in humans. We conducted three sham-controlled experiments, each with 12 neurotypical adults, that measured the effects of transcutaneous VNS on metrics of auditory and visual performance, and heart rate variability (HRV). Continuous stimulation was delivered to cervical (tcVNS) or auricular (taVNS) branches of the vagus nerve while participants performed psychophysics tasks or passively viewed a display. Relative to sham stimulation, tcVNS improved auditory performance by 37% (p = 0.00052) and visual performance by 23% (p = 0.038). Participants with lower performance during sham conditions experienced larger tcVNS-evoked improvements (p = 0.0040). Lastly, tcVNS increased HRV during passive viewing, corroborating vagal engagement. No evidence for an effect of taVNS was observed. These findings validate the effectiveness of tcVNS in humans and position it as a method for on-demand interventions of impairments associated with central sensory processing dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason B Carmel
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology and Orthopedics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charles Rodenkirch
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY, USA.
- The Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Jigo M, Carmel JB, Wang Q, Rodenkirch C. Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation improves sensory performance in humans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.08.552508. [PMID: 37609169 PMCID: PMC10441305 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.08.552508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Accurate senses depend on high-fidelity encoding by sensory receptors and error-free processing in the brain. Progress has been made towards restoring damaged sensory receptors. However, methods for on-demand treatment of impaired central sensory processing are scarce. Prior invasive studies demonstrated that continuous vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in rodents can activate the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system to rapidly improve central sensory processing. Here, we investigated whether transcutaneous VNS improves sensory performance in humans. We conducted three sham-controlled experiments, each with 12 neurotypical adults, that measured the effects of transcutaneous VNS on metrics of auditory and visual performance, and heart rate variability (HRV). Continuous stimulation was delivered to cervical (tcVNS) or auricular (taVNS) branches of the vagus nerve while participants performed psychophysics tasks or passively viewed a display. Relative to sham stimulation, tcVNS improved auditory performance by 37% (p=0.00052) and visual performance by 23% (p=0.038). Participants with lower performance during sham conditions experienced larger tcVNS-evoked improvements (p=0.0040). Lastly, tcVNS increased HRV during passive viewing, corroborating vagal engagement. No evidence for an effect of taVNS was observed. These findings validate the effectiveness of tcVNS in humans and position it as a method for on-demand interventions of impairments associated with central sensory processing dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason B. Carmel
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY
- Department of Neurology and Orthopedics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Qi Wang
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Charles Rodenkirch
- Sharper Sense, Inc., New York, NY
- The Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, New York, NY
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6
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Tovbis D, Lee E, Koh RGL, Jeong R, Agur A, Yoo PB. Enhancing the selective electrical activation of human vagal nerve fibers: a comparative computational modeling study with validation in a rat sciatic model. J Neural Eng 2023; 20:066012. [PMID: 37963401 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad0c60] [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: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an emerging treatment option for a myriad of medical disorders, where the method of delivering electrical pulses can vary depending on the clinical indication. In this study, we investigated the relative effectiveness of electrically activating the cervical vagus nerve among three different approaches: nerve cuff electrode stimulation (NCES), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and enhanced TENS (eTENS). The objectives were to characterize factors that influenced nerve activation and to compare the nerve recruitment properties as a function of nerve fiber diameter.Methods.The Finite Element Model, based on data from the Visible Human Project, was implemented in COMSOL. The three simulation types were compared under a range of vertical and horizontal displacements relative to the location of the vagus nerve. Monopolar anodic stimulation was examined, along with latency and activation of different fiber sizes. Nerve activation was determined via the activating function and McIntyre-Richardson-Grill models, and activation thresholds were validated in anin-vivorodent model.Results.While NCES produced the lowest activation thresholds, eTENS generally performed superior to TENS under the range of conditions and fiber diameters, producing activation thresholds up to three times lower than TENS. eTENS also preserved its enhancement when surface electrodes were displaced away from the nerve. Anodic stimulation revealed an inhibitory region that removed eTENS benefits. eTENS also outperformed TENS by up to four times when targeting smaller diameter nerve fibers, scaling similar to a cuff electrode. In latency and activation of smaller diameter nerve fibers, eTENS results resembled those of NCES more than a TENS electrode. Activation threshold ratios were consistent inin-vivovalidation.Significance.Our findings expand upon previously identified mechanisms for eTENS and further demonstrate how eTENS emulates a nerve cuff electrode to achieve lower activation thresholds. This work further characterizes considerations required for VNS under the three stimulation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tovbis
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Eugene Lee
- Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ryan G L Koh
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rania Jeong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anne Agur
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Paul B Yoo
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Wang L, Gao F, Wang Z, Liang F, Dai Y, Wang M, Wu J, Chen Y, Yan Q, Wang L. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of disorders of consciousness: mechanisms and applications. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1286267. [PMID: 37920298 PMCID: PMC10618368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1286267] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This review provides an in-depth exploration of the mechanisms and applications of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in treating disorders of consciousness (DOC). Beginning with an exploration of the vagus nerve's role in modulating brain function and consciousness, we then delve into the neuroprotective potential of taVNS demonstrated in animal models. The subsequent sections assess the therapeutic impact of taVNS on human DOC, discussing the safety, tolerability, and various factors influencing the treatment response. Finally, the review identifies the current challenges in taVNS research and outlines future directions, emphasizing the need for large-scale trials, optimization of treatment parameters, and comprehensive investigation of taVNS's long-term effects and underlying mechanisms. This comprehensive overview positions taVNS as a promising and safe modality for DOC treatment, with a focus on understanding its intricate neurophysiological influence and optimizing its application in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Likai Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhan Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Feng Liang
- First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yongli Dai
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Mengchun Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Jingyi Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yaning Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qinjie Yan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Litong Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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8
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Contreras I, Navarro-Otano J, Rodríguez-Pintó I, Güemes A, Alves E, Rios-Garcés R, Espinosa G, Alejaldre A, Beneyto A, Ramkissoon CM, Vehi J, Cervera R. Optimizing Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e48387. [PMID: 37831494 PMCID: PMC10612000 DOI: 10.2196/48387] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic, multisystem, inflammatory disease of autoimmune etiology occurring predominantly in women. A major hurdle to the diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutic advancement of this disease is its heterogeneous nature, which presents as a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue, fever, musculoskeletal involvement, neuropsychiatric disorders, and cardiovascular involvement with varying severity. The current therapeutic approach to this disease includes the administration of immunomodulatory drugs that may produce unfavorable secondary effects. OBJECTIVE This study explores the known relationship between the autonomic nervous system and inflammatory pathways to improve patient outcomes by treating autonomic nervous system dysregulation in patients via noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation. In this study, data including biomarkers, physiological signals, patient outcomes, and patient quality of life are being collected and analyzed. After completion of the clinical trial, a computer model will be developed to identify the biomarkers and physiological signals related to lupus activity in order to understand how they change with different noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation frequency parameters. Finally, we propose building a decision support system with integrated noninvasive wearable technologies for continuous cardiovascular and peripheral physiological sensing for adaptive, patient-specific optimization of the noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation frequency parameters in real time. METHODS The protocol was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transauricular vagus nerve stimulation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This multicenter, national, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study will recruit a minimum of 18 patients diagnosed with this disease. Evaluation and treatment of patients will be conducted in an outpatient clinic and will include 12 visits. Visit 1 consists of a screening session. Subsequent visits up to visit 6 involve mixing treatment and evaluation sessions. Finally, the remaining visits correspond with early and late posttreatment follow-ups. RESULTS On November 2022, data collection was initiated. Of the 10 participants scheduled for their initial appointment, 8 met the inclusion criteria, and 6 successfully completed the entire protocol. Patient enrollment and data collection are currently underway and are expected to be completed in December 2023. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study will advance patient-tailored vagus nerve stimulation therapies, providing an adjunctive treatment solution for systemic lupus erythematosus that will foster adoption of technology and, thus, expand the population with systemic lupus erythematosus who can benefit from improved autonomic dysregulation, translating into reduced costs and better quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05704153; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05704153. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/48387.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Contreras
- Modeling, Identification and Control Engineering (MICELab), Institut d'Informatica i Applicacions, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Professor Serra Húnter, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | | | - Ignasi Rodríguez-Pintó
- Autoimmune Diseases Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Mútua de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Amparo Güemes
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Eduarda Alves
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gerard Espinosa
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Aleix Beneyto
- Modeling, Identification and Control Engineering (MICELab), Institut d'Informatica i Applicacions, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Charrise Mary Ramkissoon
- Modeling, Identification and Control Engineering (MICELab), Institut d'Informatica i Applicacions, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Josep Vehi
- Modeling, Identification and Control Engineering (MICELab), Institut d'Informatica i Applicacions, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Ricard Cervera
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
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RaviChandran N, Hope J, Aw K, McDaid A. Modeling the excitation of nerve axons under transcutaneous stimulation. Comput Biol Med 2023; 165:107463. [PMID: 37699322 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107463] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Computational models enable a safe and convenient way to study the excitation of nerve fibers under external stimulation. Contemporary models calculate the electric field distribution from transcutaneous stimulation and the resulting neuronal response separately. This study uses finite element methods to develop a multi-scale model that couples electric fields within macroscopic tissue layers and microscopic nerve fibers in a single-stage computational framework. The model included a triaxial myelinated nerve fiber bundle embedded within a volume conductor of tissue layers to represent the median nerve innervating the forearm muscles. The model captured the excitability of nerve fibers under transcutaneous stimulation and their nerve-tissue interactions to a transient external stimulus. The determinants of the strength-duration curve, rheobase, and chronaxie for the proposed model had close correlations with in-vivo experimentation on human participants. Additionally, the excitability indices for the triaxial myelinated nerve fiber implemented using the finite element method agreed well with experimental data from the literature. The validity of the proposed model encourages its use for applications involving transcutaneous stimulation. Capable of capturing field distribution across realistic morphologies, the model can serve as a testbed to improve stimulation protocols and electrode designs with subject-level specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narrendar RaviChandran
- Medical Devices and Technologies Group, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore 169856, Singapore.
| | - James Hope
- Medical Devices and Technologies Group, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand; Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Kean Aw
- Smart Materials and Microtechnologies Group, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Andrew McDaid
- Medical Devices and Technologies Group, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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10
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Bremner JD, Gazi AH, Lambert TP, Nawar A, Harrison AB, Welsh JW, Vaccarino V, Walton KM, Jaquemet N, Mermin-Bunnell K, Mesfin H, Gray TA, Ross K, Saks G, Tomic N, Affadzi D, Bikson M, Shah AJ, Dunn KE, Giordano NA, Inan OT. Noninvasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Opioid Use Disorder. ANNALS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY 2023; 10:1117. [PMID: 38074313 PMCID: PMC10699253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Background Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is an escalating public health problem with over 100,000 drug overdose-related deaths last year most of them related to opioid overdose, yet treatment options remain limited. Non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) can be delivered via the ear or the neck and is a non-medication alternative to treatment of opioid withdrawal and OUD with potentially widespread applications. Methods This paper reviews the neurobiology of opioid withdrawal and OUD and the emerging literature of nVNS for the application of OUD. Literature databases for Pubmed, Psychinfo, and Medline were queried for these topics for 1982-present. Results Opioid withdrawal in the context of OUD is associated with activation of peripheral sympathetic and inflammatory systems as well as alterations in central brain regions including anterior cingulate, basal ganglia, and amygdala. NVNS has the potential to reduce sympathetic and inflammatory activation and counter the effects of opioid withdrawal in initial pilot studies. Preliminary studies show that it is potentially effective at acting through sympathetic pathways to reduce the effects of opioid withdrawal, in addition to reducing pain and distress. Conclusions NVNS shows promise as a non-medication approach to OUD, both in terms of its known effect on neurobiology as well as pilot data showing a reduction in withdrawal symptoms as well as physiological manifestations of opioid withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Decatur GA
| | - Asim H Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tamara P Lambert
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Afra Nawar
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anna B Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Justine W Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kevin M Walton
- Clinical Research Grants Branch, Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nora Jaquemet
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kellen Mermin-Bunnell
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Hewitt Mesfin
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Trinity A Gray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Keyatta Ross
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Georgia Saks
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nikolina Tomic
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Danner Affadzi
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY
| | - Amit J Shah
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Decatur GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kelly E Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD
| | | | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
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11
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Tarn J, Evans E, Traianos E, Collins A, Stylianou M, Parikh J, Bai Y, Guan Y, Frith J, Lendrem D, Macrae V, McKinnon I, Simon BS, Blake J, Baker MR, Taylor JP, Watson S, Gallagher P, Blamire A, Newton J, Ng WF. The Effects of Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Fatigue in Participants With Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. Neuromodulation 2023; 26:681-689. [PMID: 37032583 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2022.08.461] [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: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fatigue is one of the most important symptoms needing improvement in Primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS). Previous data from our group suggest that noninvasive stimulation of the vagus nerve (nVNS) may improve symptoms of fatigue. This experimental medicine study uses the gammaCore device (electroCore) and a sham device to investigate the relationship between nVNS and fatigue in PSS, and to explore potential mechanisms involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty participants with PSS were randomly assigned to use active (n = 20) or sham (n = 20) nVNS devices twice daily for 54 days in a double-blind manner. Patient-reported measures of fatigue were collected at baseline and day 56: Profile of Fatigue (PRO-F)-Physical, PRO-F-Mental and Visual Analogue Scale of abnormal fatigue (fVAS). Neurocognitive tests, immunologic responses, electroencephalography alpha reactivity, muscle acidosis, and heart rate variability were compared between devices from baseline to day 56 using analysis of covariance. RESULTS PRO-F-Physical, PRO-F-Mental, and fVAS scores were significantly reduced at day 56 in the active group only (p = 0.02, 0.02, and 0.04, respectively). Muscle bioenergetics and heart rate variability showed no change between arms. There were significant improvements in digit span and a neurocognitive test (p = 0.03), and upon acute nVNS stimulation, frontal region alpha reactivity showed a significant negative relationship with fatigue scores in the active group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS We observed significant improvements in three measures of fatigue at day 56 with the active device but not the sham device. Directly after device use, fatigue levels correlate with measures of alpha reactivity, suggesting modulation of cholinergic system integrity as a mechanism of action for nVNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Tarn
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Evelyn Evans
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Emmanuella Traianos
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Alexis Collins
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mryto Stylianou
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Neuropathology Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Jehill Parikh
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yang Bai
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yu Guan
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - James Frith
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Dennis Lendrem
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Victoria Macrae
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Iain McKinnon
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | | | - Mark R Baker
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - John Paul Taylor
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Stuart Watson
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Peter Gallagher
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Andrew Blamire
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julia Newton
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Wan-Fai Ng
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre & NIHR Newcastle Clinical Research Facility, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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12
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Villar-Martinez MD, Goadsby PJ. Non-invasive neuromodulation of the cervical vagus nerve in rare primary headaches. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2023; 4:1062892. [PMID: 36994091 PMCID: PMC10040883 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1062892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary headache disorders can be remarkably disabling and the therapeutic options available are usually limited to medication with a high rate of adverse events. Here, we discuss the mechanism of action of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation, as well as the findings of the main studies involving patients with primary headaches other than migraine or cluster headache, such as hemicrania continua, paroxysmal hemicrania, cough headache, or short-lasting neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNCT/SUNA), in a narrative analysis. A bibliographical search of low-prevalence disorders such as rare primary headaches retrieves a moderate number of studies, usually underpowered. Headache intensity, severity, and duration showed a clinically significant reduction in the majority, especially those involving indomethacin-responsive headaches. The lack of response of some patients with a similar diagnosis could be due to a different stimulation pattern, technique, or total dose. The use of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation for the treatment of primary headache disorders represents an excellent option for patients with these debilitating and otherwise refractory conditions, or that cannot tolerate several lines of preventive medication, and should always be considered before contemplating invasive, non-reversible stimulation techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dolores Villar-Martinez
- Headache Group, Wolfson CARD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR King's Clinical Research Facility, SLaM Biomedical Research Centre, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J. Goadsby
- Headache Group, Wolfson CARD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR King's Clinical Research Facility, SLaM Biomedical Research Centre, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Correspondence: Peter J. Goadsby
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Zhang H, Guo Z, Qu Y, Zhao Y, Yang Y, Du J, Yang C. Cognitive function and brain activation before and after transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation in healthy adults: A concurrent tcVNS-fMRI study. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1003411. [PMID: 36438376 PMCID: PMC9691850 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1003411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, which involves the application of electrical currents to the cervical (tcVNS) or auricular (taVNS) branches of the vagus nerve, may be a potential treatment for improving cognitive dysfunction. taVNS may improve cognitive performance in healthy adults, and fewer studies have been performed on the effects of tcVNS on cognition in healthy subjects. We conducted a randomized, single-blind, crossover-controlled trial to investigate the effects of tcVNS stimulation on cognitive function and neural activity in the brains of healthy adults. This study provides support for further tcVNS studies for the treatment of cognitive impairment. Twenty-one participants were randomly divided into two groups, A and B. Group A received tcVNS first and then sham-tcVNS, while group B received the intervention in the reverse order, receiving sham stimulation first and then true stimulation. All subjects were required to perform cognitive function tests before and after receiving intervention, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed concurrently during the intervention. We hypothesized that tcVNS would have an effect on the cognitive performance of the subjects and alter the neural activity of the brain. The present study showed that tcVNS had beneficial effects on cognitive performance, mainly improving memory and language skills and attention. tcVNS intervention produced significant spontaneous neural activity in the calcarine gyrus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus of the brain. Future tcVNS/fMRI trials will need to explore the effects of changes in stimulus parameters on the neural activity response of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
- School of Rehabilitation, West China Medical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiwei Guo
- Brain Function Rehabilitation and Development Institute, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Yun Qu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- School of Rehabilitation, West China Medical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Yuxuan Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Chunlan Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- School of Rehabilitation, West China Medical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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14
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Arsava EM, Topcuoglu MA, Ay I, Ozdemir AO, Gungor IL, Togay Isikay C, Nazliel B, Kozak HH, Ozturk S, Yilmaz İA, Dora B, Ay H, Ozel T, Sorgun MH, Bahadır EA, Peker E, Aykac O, Mehdiyev Z, Caglayan HZB, Gurses AA, Pektezel MY, Yilmaz E, Oge DD, Parlak S, Bugrul A, Ozguner H, Seker AC, Ozdemir G, Ongun G, Yilmaz SE, Ozguncu C, Turan Isik SM, Ildiz OF, Mammadli A, Yildogan AT, McClure C. Assessment of safety and feasibility of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of acute stroke. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:1467-1474. [PMID: 36356829 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) using a hand-held stimulator placed on the neck is an FDA-approved treatment for primary headache disorders. The safety of nVNS is unknown in stroke patients. OBJECTIVE To assess the safety and feasibility of nVNS for the acute treatment of stroke. METHODS TR-VENUS (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT03733431) was a randomized, sham-controlled, open-label, multicenter trial conducted in patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS) or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Patients were randomly assigned to standard-dose nVNS, high-dose nVNS, or sham stimulation. The primary endpoint was a composite safety outcome defined as bradycardia or reduction in mean arterial blood pressure during treatment or progression of neurological or death within 24 h of treatment. The feasibility endpoints were the proportion of eligible subjects receiving nVNS within 6 h of symptom onset and the proportion completing all pre-specified treatment doses. Efficacy assessments included infarct growth from baseline to 24 h after treatment. RESULTS Sixty-nine patients (61 IS, 8 ICH) completed the study. The composite safety outcome was achieved in 32.0% in sham and 47.7% in nVNS group (p = 0.203). Treatment was initiated in all but two randomized patients. All dosed subjects received 100% of prespecified stimulations. A non-significant reduction in infarct growth was observed in the high-dose nVNS group (184.2% in sham vs. 63.3% in high-dose nVNS; p = 0.109). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that nVNS may be safe and feasible in the setting of acute stroke. These findings support further development of nVNS as a potential treatment for acute ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ilknur Ay
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bijen Nazliel
- Department of Neurology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | | | - Babur Dora
- Department of Neurology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Hakan Ay
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Klaming R, Simmons AN, Spadoni AD, Lerman I. Effects of Noninvasive Cervical Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Cognitive Performance But Not Brain Activation in Healthy Adults. Neuromodulation 2022; 25:424-432. [PMID: 35396072 PMCID: PMC8144242 DOI: 10.1111/ner.13313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While preliminary evidence suggests that noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) may enhance cognition, to our knowledge, no study has directly assessed the effects of nVNS on brain function and cognitive performance in healthy individuals. The aim of this study was therefore to assess whether nVNS enhances complex visuospatial problem solving in a normative sample. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine underlying neural substrates. MATERIAL AND METHODS Participants received transcutaneous cervical nVNS (N = 15) or sham (N = 15) stimulation during a 3 T fMRI scan. Stimulation lasted for 2 min at 24 V for nVNS and at 4.5 V for sham. Subjects completed a matrix reasoning (MR) task in the scanner and a forced-choice recognition task outside the scanner. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess group differences in cognitive performance. And linear mixed effects (LMEs) regression analysis was used to assess main and interaction effects of experimental groups, level of MR task difficulty, and recall accuracy on changes in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal. RESULTS Subjects who received nVNS showed higher accuracy for both easy (p = 0.017) and hard (p = 0.013) items of the MR task, slower reaction times for hard items (p = 0.014), and fewer false negative errors during the forced-choice recognition task (p = 0.047). MR task difficulty related to increased activation in frontoparietal regions (p < 0.001). No difference between nVNS and sham stimulation was found on BOLD response during performance of the MR task. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that nVNS increased attention compared to sham, and that this effect led to enhanced executive functions, and consequently to better performance on visuospatial reasoning and recognition tasks. Results provide initial support that nVNS may be a low-risk, low-cost treatment for cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Klaming
- San Diego Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Alan N Simmons
- San Diego Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Andrea D Spadoni
- San Diego Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Imanuel Lerman
- San Diego Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
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16
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Tynan A, Brines M, Chavan SS. Control of inflammation using non-invasive neuromodulation: past, present and promise. Int Immunol 2022; 34:119-128. [PMID: 34558623 PMCID: PMC8783606 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxab073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The nervous system has been increasingly recognized as a novel and accessible target in the regulation of inflammation. The use of implantable and invasive devices targeting neural circuits has yielded successful results in clinical settings but does have some risk or adverse effects. Recent advances in technology and understanding of mechanistic pathways have opened new avenues of non-invasive neuromodulation. Through this review we discuss the novel research and outcomes of major modalities of non-invasive neuromodulation in the context of inflammation including transcutaneous electrical, magnetic and ultrasound neuromodulation. In addition to highlighting the scientific observations and breakthroughs, we discuss the underlying mechanisms and pathways for neural regulation of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisling Tynan
- Laboratory of Biomedical Science, Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Michael Brines
- Laboratory of Biomedical Science, Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Sangeeta S Chavan
- Laboratory of Biomedical Science, Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
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17
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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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18
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Regenold WT, Deng ZD, Lisanby SH. Noninvasive neuromodulation of the prefrontal cortex in mental health disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:361-372. [PMID: 34272471 PMCID: PMC8617166 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
More than any other brain region, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) gives rise to the singularity of human experience. It is therefore frequently implicated in the most distinctly human of all disorders, those of mental health. Noninvasive neuromodulation, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) among others, can-unlike pharmacotherapy-directly target the PFC and its neural circuits. Direct targeting enables significantly greater on-target therapeutic effects compared with off-target adverse effects. In contrast to invasive neuromodulation approaches, such as deep-brain stimulation (DBS), noninvasive neuromodulation can reversibly modulate neural activity from outside the scalp. This combination of direct targeting and reversibility enables noninvasive neuromodulation to iteratively change activity in the PFC and its neural circuits to reveal causal mechanisms of both disease processes and healthy function. When coupled with neuronavigation and neurophysiological readouts, noninvasive neuromodulation holds promise for personalizing PFC neuromodulation to relieve symptoms of mental health disorders by optimizing the function of the PFC and its neural circuits. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03191058.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T. Regenold
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit, Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Zhi-De Deng
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit, Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Sarah H. Lisanby
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit, Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
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19
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Lerman I, Klaming R, Spadoni A, Baker DG, Simmons AN. Non-invasive cervical vagus nerve stimulation effects on reaction time and valence image anticipation response. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:946-956. [PMID: 35738468 PMCID: PMC9721369 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Norepinephrine (NE) driven noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS), which improves attention and reduces reaction time, augments learning. Equally important, endogenous NE mediated arousal is highly dependent on the valence (positive or negative) of the exogenous stimulus. But to date, no study has measured valence specific effects of nVNS on both functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) anticipation task response and reaction time in healthy individuals. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to assess whether nVNS vs sham modulates valence cortical anticipation task response and reaction time in a normative sample. METHODS Participants received right sided transcutaneous cervical nVNS (N = 12) or sham (N = 12) stimulation during a 3T fMRI scan. Subjects first performed a continuous performance task (CPT) and then a cued anticipation task to images of positively and negatively valenced events during fMRI. Reaction times to cues and Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response were examined over phase to identify effects of nVNS/sham over time. RESULTS nVNS reduced reaction time for all valenced image anticipation trials. With the fMRI anticipation task, we observed a valence-specific effect; nVNS increased responsivity to images with negative valence and decreased responsivity to images with positive valence, whereas sham showed an inverse valence response. CONCLUSIONS nVNS was linked to reduced reaction time during the anticipation task. In tandem, nVNS consistently enhanced responsivity to negatively valenced images and diminished responsivity to positively valenced images, suggesting specific nVNS driven endogenous neurotransmitter signaling may contribute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imanuel Lerman
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | - Ruth Klaming
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrea Spadoni
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Dewleen G Baker
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Alan N Simmons
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Davids M, Guerin B, Wald LL. A Huygens' surface approach to rapid characterization of peripheral nerve stimulation. Magn Reson Med 2022; 87:377-393. [PMID: 34427346 PMCID: PMC8689355 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) modeling has a potential role in designing and operating MRI gradient coils but requires computationally demanding simulations of electromagnetic fields and neural responses. We demonstrate compression of an electromagnetic and neurodynamic model into a single versatile PNS matrix (P-matrix) defined on an intermediary Huygens' surface to allow fast PNS characterization of arbitrary coil geometries and body positions. METHODS The Huygens' surface approach divides PNS prediction into an extensive pre-computation phase of the electromagnetic and neurodynamic responses, which is independent of coil geometry and patient position, and a fast coil-specific linear projection step connecting this information to a specific coil geometry. We validate the Huygens' approach by performing PNS characterizations for 21 body and head gradients and comparing them with full electromagnetic-neurodynamic modeling. We demonstrate the value of Huygens' surface-based PNS modeling by characterizing PNS-optimized coil windings for a wide range of patient positions and poses in two body models. RESULTS The PNS prediction using the Huygens' P-matrix takes less than a minute (instead of hours to days) without compromising numerical accuracy (error ≤ 0.1%) compared to the full simulation. Using this tool, we demonstrate that coils optimized for PNS at the brain landmark using a male model can also improve PNS for other imaging applications (cardiac, abdominal, pelvic, and knee imaging) in both male and female models. CONCLUSION Representing PNS information on a Huygens' surface extended the approach's ability to assess PNS across body positions and models and test the robustness of PNS optimization in gradient design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Davids
- A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bastien Guerin
- A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lawrence L. Wald
- A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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Verma N, Graham RD, Mudge J, Trevathan JK, Franke M, Shoffstall AJ, Williams J, Dalrymple AN, Fisher LE, Weber DJ, Lempka SF, Ludwig KA. Augmented Transcutaneous Stimulation Using an Injectable Electrode: A Computational Study. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:796042. [PMID: 34988068 PMCID: PMC8722711 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.796042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Minimally invasive neuromodulation technologies seek to marry the neural selectivity of implantable devices with the low-cost and non-invasive nature of transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES). The Injectrode® is a needle-delivered electrode that is injected onto neural structures under image guidance. Power is then transcutaneously delivered to the Injectrode using surface electrodes. The Injectrode serves as a low-impedance conduit to guide current to the deep on-target nerve, reducing activation thresholds by an order of magnitude compared to using only surface stimulation electrodes. To minimize off-target recruitment of cutaneous fibers, the energy transfer efficiency from the surface electrodes to the Injectrode must be optimized. TES energy is transferred to the Injectrode through both capacitive and resistive mechanisms. Electrostatic finite element models generally used in TES research consider only the resistive means of energy transfer by defining tissue conductivities. Here, we present an electroquasistatic model, taking into consideration both the conductivity and permittivity of tissue, to understand transcutaneous power delivery to the Injectrode. The model was validated with measurements taken from (n = 4) swine cadavers. We used the validated model to investigate system and anatomic parameters that influence the coupling efficiency of the Injectrode energy delivery system. Our work suggests the relevance of electroquasistatic models to account for capacitive charge transfer mechanisms when studying TES, particularly when high-frequency voltage components are present, such as those used for voltage-controlled pulses and sinusoidal nerve blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant Verma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Translational Neuroengineering (WITNe)–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Robert D. Graham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jonah Mudge
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Translational Neuroengineering (WITNe)–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - James K. Trevathan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Translational Neuroengineering (WITNe)–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Andrew J Shoffstall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Justin Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Translational Neuroengineering (WITNe)–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ashley N. Dalrymple
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Lee E. Fisher
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Douglas J. Weber
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Scott F. Lempka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kip A. Ludwig
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute for Translational Neuroengineering (WITNe)–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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22
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Settell ML, Skubal AC, Chen RCH, Kasole M, Knudsen BE, Nicolai EN, Huang C, Zhou C, Trevathan JK, Upadhye A, Kolluru C, Shoffstall AJ, Williams JC, Suminski AJ, Grill WM, Pelot NA, Chen S, Ludwig KA. In vivo Visualization of Pig Vagus Nerve "Vagotopy" Using Ultrasound. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:676680. [PMID: 34899151 PMCID: PMC8660563 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.676680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Placement of the clinical vagus nerve stimulating cuff is a standard surgical procedure based on anatomical landmarks, with limited patient specificity in terms of fascicular organization or vagal anatomy. As such, the therapeutic effects are generally limited by unwanted side effects of neck muscle contractions, demonstrated by previous studies to result from stimulation of (1) motor fibers near the cuff in the superior laryngeal and (2) motor fibers within the cuff projecting to the recurrent laryngeal. Objective: Conventional non-invasive ultrasound, where the transducer is placed on the surface of the skin, has been previously used to visualize the vagus with respect to other landmarks such as the carotid and internal jugular vein. However, it lacks sufficient resolution to provide details about the vagus fascicular organization, or detail about smaller neural structures such as the recurrent and superior laryngeal branch responsible for therapy limiting side effects. Here, we characterize the use of ultrasound with the transducer placed in the surgical pocket to improve resolution without adding significant additional risk to the surgical procedure in the pig model. Methods: Ultrasound images were obtained from a point of known functional organization at the nodose ganglia to the point of placement of stimulating electrodes within the surgical window. Naïve volunteers with minimal training were then asked to use these ultrasound videos to trace afferent groupings of fascicles from the nodose to their location within the surgical window where a stimulating cuff would normally be placed. Volunteers were asked to select a location for epineural electrode placement away from the fascicles containing efferent motor nerves responsible for therapy limiting side effects. 2-D and 3-D reconstructions of the ultrasound were directly compared to post-mortem histology in the same animals. Results: High-resolution ultrasound from the surgical pocket enabled 2-D and 3-D reconstruction of the cervical vagus and surrounding structures that accurately depicted the functional vagotopy of the pig vagus nerve as confirmed via histology. Although resolution was not sufficient to match specific fascicles between ultrasound and histology 1 to 1, it was sufficient to trace fascicle groupings from a point of known functional organization at the nodose ganglia to their locations within the surgical window at stimulating electrode placement. Naïve volunteers were able place an electrode proximal to the sensory afferent grouping of fascicles and away from the motor nerve efferent grouping of fascicles in each subject (n = 3). Conclusion: The surgical pocket itself provides a unique opportunity to obtain higher resolution ultrasound images of neural targets responsible for intended therapeutic effect and limiting off-target effects. We demonstrate the increase in resolution is sufficient to aid patient-specific electrode placement to optimize outcomes. This simple technique could be easily adopted for multiple neuromodulation targets to better understand how patient specific anatomy impacts functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Settell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aaron C. Skubal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Rex C. H. Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Maïsha Kasole
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bruce E. Knudsen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Evan N. Nicolai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Chengwu Huang
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Chenyun Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - James K. Trevathan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aniruddha Upadhye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Chaitanya Kolluru
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Andrew J. Shoffstall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Justin C. Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aaron J. Suminski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Warren M. Grill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nicole A. Pelot
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Shigao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Kip A. Ludwig
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Wisconsin Institute of Neuroengineering (WITNe), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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23
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Kreisberg E, Esmaeilpour Z, Adair D, Khadka N, Datta A, Badran BW, Bremner JD, Bikson M. High-resolution computational modeling of the current flow in the outer ear during transcutaneous auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS). Brain Stimul 2021; 14:1419-1430. [PMID: 34517143 PMCID: PMC8608747 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcutaneous auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) applies low-intensity electrical current to the ear with the intention of activating the auricular branch of the Vagus nerve. The sensitivity and selectivity of stimulation applied to the ear depends on current flow pattern produced by a given electrode montage (size and placement). OBJECTIVE We compare different electrodes designs for taVNS considering both the predicted peak electric fields (sensitivity) and their spatial distribution (selectivity). METHODS Based on optimized high-resolution (0.47 mm) T1 and T2 weighted MRI, we developed an anatomical model of the left ear and the surrounding head tissues including brain, CSF/meninges, skull, muscle, blood vessels, fat, cartilage, and skin. The ear was further segmented into 6 regions of interest (ROI) based on various nerve densities: cavum concha, cymba concha, crus of helix, tragus, antitragus, and earlobe. A range of taVNS electrode montages were reproduced spanning varied electrodes sizes and placements over the tragus, cymba concha, earlobe, cavum concha, and crus of helix. Electric field across the ear (from superficial skin to cartilage) for each montage at 1 mA or 2 mA taVNS, assuming an activation threshold of 6.15 V/m, 12.3 V/m or 24.6 V/m was predicted using a Finite element method (FEM). Finally, considering every ROI, we calculated the sensitivity and selectivity of each montage. RESULTS Current flow patterns through the ear were highly specific to the electrode montage. Electric field was maximal at the ear regions directly under the electrodes, and for a given total current, increases with decreasing electrode size. Depending on the applied current and nerves threshold, activation may also occur in the regions between multiple anterior surface electrodes. Each considered montage was selective for one or two regions of interest. For example, electrodes across the tragus restricted significant electric field to the tragus. Stimulation across the earlobe restricted significant electric field to the earlobe and the antitragus. Because of this relative selectivity, use of control ear montages in experimental studies, support testing of targeting. Relative targeting was robust across assumptions of activation threshold and tissue properties. DISCUSSION Computational models provide additional insight on how details in electrode shape and placement impact sensitivity (how much current is needed) and selectivity (spatial distribution), thereby supporting analysis of existing approaches and optimization of new devices. Our result suggest taVNS current patterns and relative target are robust across individuals, though (variance in) axon morphology was not represented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Kreisberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zeinab Esmaeilpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Devin Adair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Niranjan Khadka
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abhishek Datta
- Research and Development, Soterix Medical, New York, USA, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, USA
| | - Bashar W Badran
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, And the Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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24
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Al-Battal AF, Gong Y, Xu L, Morton T, Du C, Bu Y, Lerman IR, Madhavan R, Nguyen TQ. A CNN Segmentation-Based Approach to Object Detection and Tracking in Ultrasound Scans with Application to the Vagus Nerve Detection. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021; 2021:3322-3327. [PMID: 34891951 DOI: 10.1109/embc46164.2021.9630522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound scanning is essential in several medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. It is used to visualize and analyze anatomical features and structures that influence treatment plans. However, it is both labor intensive, and its effectiveness is operator dependent. Real-time accurate and robust automatic detection and tracking of anatomical structures while scanning would significantly impact diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to be consistent and efficient. In this paper, we propose a deep learning framework to automatically detect and track a specific anatomical target structure in ultrasound scans. Our framework is designed to be accurate and robust across subjects and imaging devices, to operate in real-time, and to not require a large training set. It maintains a localization precision and recall higher than 90% when trained on training sets that are as small as 20% in size of the original training set. The framework backbone is a weakly trained segmentation neural network based on U-Net. We tested the framework on two different ultrasound datasets with the aim to detect and track the Vagus nerve, where it outperformed current state-of-the-art real-time object detection networks.Clinical Relevance-The proposed approach provides an accurate method to detect and localize target anatomical structures in real-time, assisting sonographers during ultrasound scanning sessions by reducing diagnostic and detection errors, and expediting the duration of scanning sessions.
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25
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Bucksot JE, Chandler CR, Intharuck NM, Rennaker RL, Kilgard MP, Hays SA. Validation of a parameterized, open-source model of nerve stimulation. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34330105 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac1983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral nerve stimulation is an effective treatment for various neurological disorders. The method of activation and stimulation parameters used impact the efficacy of the therapy, which emphasizes the need for tools to model this behavior. Computational modeling of nerve stimulation has proven to be a useful tool for estimating stimulation thresholds, optimizing electrode design, and exploring previously untested stimulation methods. Despite their utility, these tools require access to and familiarity with several pieces of specialized software. A simpler, streamlined process would increase accessibility significantly. We developed an open-source, parameterized model with a simple online user interface that allows user to adjust up to 36 different parameters (https://nervestimlab.utdallas.edu). The model accurately predicts fiber activation thresholds for nerve and electrode combinations reported in literature. Additionally, it replicates characteristic differences between stimulation methods, such as lower thresholds with monopolar stimulation as compared to tripolar stimulation. The model predicted that the difference in threshold between monophasic and biphasic waveforms, a well-characterized phenomenon, is not present during stimulation with bipolar electrodes.In vivotesting on the rat sciatic nerve validated this prediction, which has not been previously reported. The accuracy of the model when compared to previous experiments, as well as the ease of use and accessibility to generate testable hypotheses, indicate that this software may represent a useful tool for a variety of nerve stimulation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse E Bucksot
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Collin R Chandler
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Navaporn M Intharuck
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Robert L Rennaker
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Michael P Kilgard
- The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
| | - Seth A Hays
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America.,Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, United States of America
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26
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Johnson MD, Dweiri YM, Cornelius J, Strohl KP, Steffen A, Suurna M, Soose RJ, Coleman M, Rondoni J, Durand DM, Ni Q. Model-based analysis of implanted hypoglossal nerve stimulation for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep 2021; 44:S11-S19. [PMID: 33647987 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsaa269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by frequent sleep disruptions from tongue muscle relaxation and airway blockage, are known to benefit from on-demand electrical stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) therapy, which activates the protrusor muscles of the tongue during inspiration, has been established in multiple clinical studies as safe and effective, but the mechanistic understanding for why some stimulation parameters work better than others has not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS In this study, we developed a detailed biophysical model that can predict the spatial recruitment of hypoglossal nerve fascicles and axons within these fascicles during stimulation through nerve cuff electrodes. Using this model, three HNS programming scenarios were investigated including grouped cathode (---), single cathode (o-o), and guarded cathode bipolar (+-+) electrode configurations. RESULTS Regardless of electrode configuration, nearly all hypoglossal nerve axons circumscribed by the nerve cuff were recruited for stimulation amplitudes <3 V. Within this range, monopolar configurations required lower stimulation amplitudes than the guarded bipolar configuration to elicit action potentials within hypoglossal nerve axons. Further, the spatial distribution of the activated axons was more uniform for monopolar versus guarded bipolar configurations. CONCLUSIONS The computational models predicted that monopolar HNS provided the lowest threshold and the least sensitivity to rotational angle of the nerve cuff around the hypoglossal nerve; however, this setting also increased the likelihood for current leakage outside the nerve cuff, which could potentially activate axons in unintended branches of the hypoglossal nerve. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01161420.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Yazan M Dweiri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Jason Cornelius
- Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology and North Memorial Help Sleep Medicine, Maple Grove, MN
| | - Kingman P Strohl
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Louis Stokes Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Armin Steffen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Maria Suurna
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Ryan J Soose
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | | | - Dominique M Durand
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Quan Ni
- Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
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27
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Farmer AD, Strzelczyk A, Finisguerra A, Gourine AV, Gharabaghi A, Hasan A, Burger AM, Jaramillo AM, Mertens A, Majid A, Verkuil B, Badran BW, Ventura-Bort C, Gaul C, Beste C, Warren CM, Quintana DS, Hämmerer D, Freri E, Frangos E, Tobaldini E, Kaniusas E, Rosenow F, Capone F, Panetsos F, Ackland GL, Kaithwas G, O'Leary GH, Genheimer H, Jacobs HIL, Van Diest I, Schoenen J, Redgrave J, Fang J, Deuchars J, Széles JC, Thayer JF, More K, Vonck K, Steenbergen L, Vianna LC, McTeague LM, Ludwig M, Veldhuizen MG, De Couck M, Casazza M, Keute M, Bikson M, Andreatta M, D'Agostini M, Weymar M, Betts M, Prigge M, Kaess M, Roden M, Thai M, Schuster NM, Montano N, Hansen N, Kroemer NB, Rong P, Fischer R, Howland RH, Sclocco R, Sellaro R, Garcia RG, Bauer S, Gancheva S, Stavrakis S, Kampusch S, Deuchars SA, Wehner S, Laborde S, Usichenko T, Polak T, Zaehle T, Borges U, Teckentrup V, Jandackova VK, Napadow V, Koenig J. International Consensus Based Review and Recommendations for Minimum Reporting Standards in Research on Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (Version 2020). Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:568051. [PMID: 33854421 PMCID: PMC8040977 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.568051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Given its non-invasive nature, there is increasing interest in the use of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) across basic, translational and clinical research. Contemporaneously, tVNS can be achieved by stimulating either the auricular branch or the cervical bundle of the vagus nerve, referred to as transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation(VNS) and transcutaneous cervical VNS, respectively. In order to advance the field in a systematic manner, studies using these technologies need to adequately report sufficient methodological detail to enable comparison of results between studies, replication of studies, as well as enhancing study participant safety. We systematically reviewed the existing tVNS literature to evaluate current reporting practices. Based on this review, and consensus among participating authors, we propose a set of minimal reporting items to guide future tVNS studies. The suggested items address specific technical aspects of the device and stimulation parameters. We also cover general recommendations including inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants, outcome parameters and the detailed reporting of side effects. Furthermore, we review strategies used to identify the optimal stimulation parameters for a given research setting and summarize ongoing developments in animal research with potential implications for the application of tVNS in humans. Finally, we discuss the potential of tVNS in future research as well as the associated challenges across several disciplines in research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D. Farmer
- Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Strzelczyk
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Alexander V. Gourine
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alireza Gharabaghi
- Institute for Neuromodulation and Neurotechnology, University Hospital and University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Alkomiet Hasan
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas M. Burger
- Laboratory for Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Ann Mertens
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Neuroscience, 4Brain, Ghent University Hospital, Gent, Belgium
| | - Arshad Majid
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Bart Verkuil
- Clinical Psychology and the Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Bashar W. Badran
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Carlos Ventura-Bort
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Charly Gaul
- Migraine and Headache Clinic Koenigstein, Königstein im Taunus, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Daniel S. Quintana
- NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Elena Freri
- Department of Pediatric Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleni Frangos
- Pain and Integrative Neuroscience Branch, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Eleonora Tobaldini
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Eugenijus Kaniusas
- Institute of Electrodynamics, Microwave and Circuit Engineering, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
- SzeleSTIM GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix Rosenow
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fioravante Capone
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Fivos Panetsos
- Faculty of Biology and Faculty of Optics, Complutense University of Madrid and Institute for Health Research, San Carlos Clinical Hospital (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gareth L. Ackland
- Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gaurav Kaithwas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Lucknow, India
| | - Georgia H. O'Leary
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Hannah Genheimer
- Department of Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Schoenen
- Headache Research Unit, Department of Neurology-Citadelle Hospital, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jessica Redgrave
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Jiliang Fang
- Functional Imaging Lab, Department of Radiology, Guang An Men Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jim Deuchars
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Jozsef C. Széles
- Division for Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julian F. Thayer
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Kaushik More
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Neuromodulatory Networks, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kristl Vonck
- Department of Neurology, Institute for Neuroscience, 4Brain, Ghent University Hospital, Gent, Belgium
| | - Laura Steenbergen
- Clinical and Cognitive Psychology and the Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lauro C. Vianna
- NeuroV̇ASQ̇ - Integrative Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Lisa M. McTeague
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Mareike Ludwig
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Maria G. Veldhuizen
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marijke De Couck
- Faculty of Health Care, University College Odisee, Aalst, Belgium
- Division of Epileptology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Casazza
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marius Keute
- Institute for Neuromodulation and Neurotechnology, University Hospital and University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Marta Andreatta
- Department of Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Martina D'Agostini
- Research Group Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathias Weymar
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Matthew Betts
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Prigge
- Neuromodulatory Networks, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Kaess
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Roden
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research, Munich, Germany
| | - Michelle Thai
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Nathaniel M. Schuster
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California, San Diego Health System, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Nicola Montano
- Department of Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Niels Hansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience and Imaging in Psychiatry (SNIPLab), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nils B. Kroemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peijing Rong
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rico Fischer
- Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robert H. Howland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Roberta Sclocco
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Roberta Sellaro
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Ronald G. Garcia
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sebastian Bauer
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sofiya Gancheva
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Heart Rhythm Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Stavros Stavrakis
- Faculty of Biological Science, School of Biomedical Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Kampusch
- Institute of Electrodynamics, Microwave and Circuit Engineering, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
- SzeleSTIM GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susan A. Deuchars
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Sven Wehner
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sylvain Laborde
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Deutsche Sporthochschule, Köln, Germany
| | - Taras Usichenko
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas Polak
- Laboratory of Functional Neurovascular Diagnostics, AG Early Diagnosis of Dementia, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tino Zaehle
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Uirassu Borges
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Deutsche Sporthochschule, Köln, Germany
- Department of Social and Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Deutsche Sporthochschule, Köln, Germany
| | - Vanessa Teckentrup
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vera K. Jandackova
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Julian Koenig
- University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Staats PS, Poree L. Vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis. THE LANCET. RHEUMATOLOGY 2021; 3:e14. [PMID: 38273634 DOI: 10.1016/s2665-9913(20)30360-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Staats
- National Spine and Pain Centers, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233, USA.
| | - Lawrence Poree
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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29
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Genovese MC, Levine YA, Chernoff D. Vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis - Authors' reply. THE LANCET. RHEUMATOLOGY 2021; 3:e14-e15. [PMID: 38273635 DOI: 10.1016/s2665-9913(20)30357-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Genovese
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
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30
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Richter F, García AM, Rodriguez Arriagada N, Yoris A, Birba A, Huepe D, Zimmer H, Ibáñez A, Sedeño L. Behavioral and neurophysiological signatures of interoceptive enhancements following vagus nerve stimulation. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 42:1227-1242. [PMID: 33325575 PMCID: PMC7927286 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
An accruing body of research has shown that interoception (the sensing of signals from the body's internal milieu) relies on both a direct route (afforded by the vagus nerve) and a secondary route (supported by somatosensory mechanisms). However, no study has causally tested the differential role of these pathways, let alone via direct stimulation. To bridge this gap, we tested whether multidimensional signatures of interoception are modulated by noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS). Sixty‐three participants were divided into an nVNS and a sham‐stimulation group. Before and after stimulation, both groups performed a validated heartbeat detection (HBD) task including a genuinely interoceptive condition (monitoring one's own heartbeat) and a control exteroceptive condition (tracking an aurally presented heartbeat). Electroencephalographic signals were obtained during both conditions to examine modulations of the heartbeat‐evoked potential (HEP). Moreover, before and after stimulation, participants were asked to complete a somatosensory heartbeat localization task. Results from the interoceptive condition revealed that, after treatment, only the nVNS group exhibited improved performance and greater HEP modulations. No behavioral differences were found for the exteroceptive control condition, which was nonetheless associated with significant HEP modulations. Finally, no between‐group differences were observed regarding the localization of the heartbeat sensations or relevant cardiodynamic variables (heart rate and or heart rate variability). Taken together, these results constitute unprecedented evidence that the vagus nerve plays a direct role in neurovisceral integration during interoception. This finding can constrain mechanistic models of the domain while informing a promising transdiagnostic agenda for interoceptive impairments across neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Richter
- Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Adolfo M García
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nicolas Rodriguez Arriagada
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrian Yoris
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INECO Foundation Favaloro-University-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustina Birba
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Heinz Zimmer
- Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.,Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile.,Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Lucas Sedeño
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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31
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Molero-Chamizo A, Sánchez MÁS, Riquel RM, Gutiérrez Lérida C, Rivera-Urbina GN. Regulation and Ethics of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation: A General View. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-020-09875-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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32
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Pelot NA, Goldhagen GB, Cariello JE, Musselman ED, Clissold KA, Ezzell JA, Grill WM. Quantified Morphology of the Cervical and Subdiaphragmatic Vagus Nerves of Human, Pig, and Rat. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:601479. [PMID: 33250710 PMCID: PMC7672126 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.601479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It is necessary to understand the morphology of the vagus nerve (VN) to design and deliver effective and selective vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) because nerve morphology influences fiber responses to electrical stimulation. Specifically, nerve diameter (and thus, electrode-fiber distance), fascicle diameter, fascicular organization, and perineurium thickness all significantly affect the responses of nerve fibers to electrical signals delivered through a cuff electrode. We quantified the morphology of cervical and subdiaphragmatic VNs in humans, pigs, and rats: effective nerve diameter, number of fascicles, effective fascicle diameters, proportions of endoneurial, perineurial, and epineurial tissues, and perineurium thickness. The human and pig VNs were comparable sizes (∼2 mm cervically; ∼1.6 mm subdiaphragmatically), while the rat nerves were ten times smaller. The pig nerves had ten times more fascicles-and the fascicles were smaller-than in human nerves (47 vs. 7 fascicles cervically; 38 vs. 5 fascicles subdiaphragmatically). Comparing the cervical to the subdiaphragmatic VNs, the nerves and fascicles were larger at the cervical level for all species and there were more fascicles for pigs. Human morphology generally exhibited greater variability across samples than pigs and rats. A prior study of human somatic nerves indicated that the ratio of perineurium thickness to fascicle diameter was approximately constant across fascicle diameters. However, our data found thicker human and pig VN perineurium than those prior data: the VNs had thicker perineurium for larger fascicles and thicker perineurium normalized by fascicle diameter for smaller fascicles. Understanding these differences in VN morphology between preclinical models and the clinical target, as well as the variability across individuals of a species, is essential for designing suitable cuff electrodes and stimulation parameters and for informing translation of preclinical results to clinical application to advance the therapeutic efficacy of VNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Pelot
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Gabriel B. Goldhagen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jake E. Cariello
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Eric D. Musselman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kara A. Clissold
- Histology Research Core, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - J. Ashley Ezzell
- Histology Research Core, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Warren M. Grill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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33
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Gurel NZ, Jiao Y, Wittbrodt MT, Ko YA, Hankus A, Driggers EG, Ladd SL, Shallenberger L, Murrah N, Huang M, Haffar A, Alkhalaf M, Levantsevych O, Nye JA, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Inan OT, Bremner JD, Pearce BD. Effect of transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation on the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) response to stress: A randomized, sham controlled, double blind pilot study. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2020; 4:100012. [PMID: 35755625 PMCID: PMC9216713 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2020.100012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in the neurobiology of the stress response, and prior studies suggest that its function is dysregulated in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) acts through PACAP and other neurobiological systems to modulate stress responses and/or symptoms of PTSD. In this pilot study, we examined the effects of tcVNS on PACAP in a three day chronic stress laboratory paradigm involving serial traumatic and mental stress exposures in healthy individuals with a history of exposure to psychological trauma (n = 18) and patients with PTSD (n = 12). Methods A total of 30 subjects with a history of exposure to psychological trauma experience were recruited (12 with PTSD diagnosis) for a three-day randomized double-blinded study of tcVNS or sham stimulation. Subjects underwent a protocol that included both personalized trauma recall and non-personalized mental stressors (public speaking, mental arithmetic) paired to tcVNS or sham stimulation over three days. Blood was collected at baseline and multiple time points after exposure to stressors. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess changes in PACAP over time (in response to stressors) and its relation to active tcVNS or sham stimulation. Results PACAP blood levels increased over the course of three days for both active tcVNS and sham groups. This increase was statistically-significant in the sham group at the end of the second (Cohen’s drm = 0.35, p = 0.04), and third days (drm = 0.41, p = 0.04), but not in the active tcVNS group (drm = 0.21, drm = 0.18, and p > 0.20). Conclusion These pilot findings suggest tcVNS may attenuate this neurobiological stress-response. Larger studies are needed to investigate gender and interaction effects. We examined the effects of tcVNS on PACAP in a three day chronic stress paradigm involving traumatic and mental stress. PACAP levels increased over the course of three days for both groups, the elevation of PACAP was larger in the sham group. These findings suggest that tcVNS may be a potential intervention for stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Z. Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yunshen Jiao
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T. Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Allison Hankus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily G. Driggers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy L. Ladd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Bradley D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Corresponding author.
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34
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Gurel NZ, Wittbrodt MT, Jung H, Shandhi MMH, Driggers EG, Ladd SL, Huang M, Ko YA, Shallenberger L, Beckwith J, Nye JA, Pearce BD, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation reduces sympathetic responses to stress in posttraumatic stress disorder: A double-blind, randomized, sham controlled trial. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100264. [PMID: 33344717 PMCID: PMC7739181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Exacerbated autonomic responses to acute stress are prevalent in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of transcutaneous cervical VNS (tcVNS) on autonomic responses to acute stress in patients with PTSD. The authors hypothesized tcVNS would reduce the sympathetic response to stress compared to a sham device. Methods Using a randomized double-blind approach, we studied the effects of tcVNS on physiological responses to stress in patients with PTSD (n = 25) using noninvasive sensing modalities. Participants received either sham (n = 12) or active tcVNS (n = 13) after exposure to acute personalized traumatic script stress and mental stress (public speech, mental arithmetic) over a three-day protocol. Physiological parameters related to sympathetic responses to stress were investigated. Results Relative to sham, tcVNS paired to traumatic script stress decreased sympathetic function as measured by: decreased heart rate (adjusted β = -5.7%; 95% CI: ±3.6%, effect size d = 0.43, p < 0.01), increased photoplethysmogram amplitude (peripheral vasodilation) (30.8%; ±28%, 0.29, p < 0.05), and increased pulse arrival time (vascular function) (6.3%; ±1.9%, 0.57, p < 0.0001). Similar (p < 0.05) autonomic, cardiovascular, and vascular effects were observed when tcVNS was applied after mental stress or without acute stress. Conclusion tcVNS attenuates sympathetic arousal associated with stress related to traumatic memories as well as mental stress in patients with PTSD, with effects persisting throughout multiple traumatic stress and stimulation testing days. These findings show that tcVNS has beneficial effects on the underlying neurophysiology of PTSD. Such autonomic metrics may also be evaluated in daily life settings in tandem with tcVNS therapy to provide closed-loop delivery and measure efficacy.ClinicalTrials.gov Registration # NCT02992899.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hewon Jung
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Md Mobashir H Shandhi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily G Driggers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy L Ladd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joy Beckwith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bradley D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Pu;blic Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
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Gazi AH, Gurel NZ, Richardson KLS, Wittbrodt MT, Shah AJ, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Digital Cardiovascular Biomarker Responses to Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation: State-Space Modeling, Prediction, and Simulation. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2020; 8:e20488. [PMID: 32960179 PMCID: PMC7539162 DOI: 10.2196/20488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) is a promising alternative to implantable stimulation of the vagus nerve. With demonstrated potential in myriad applications, ranging from systemic inflammation reduction to traumatic stress attenuation, closed-loop tcVNS during periods of risk could improve treatment efficacy and reduce ineffective delivery. However, achieving this requires a deeper understanding of biomarker changes over time. Objective The aim of the present study was to reveal the dynamics of relevant cardiovascular biomarkers, extracted from wearable sensing modalities, in response to tcVNS. Methods Twenty-four human subjects were recruited for a randomized double-blind clinical trial, for whom electrocardiography and photoplethysmography were used to measure heart rate and photoplethysmogram amplitude responses to tcVNS, respectively. Modeling these responses in state-space, we (1) compared the biomarkers in terms of their predictability and active vs sham differentiation, (2) studied the latency between stimulation onset and measurable effects, and (3) visualized the true and model-simulated biomarker responses to tcVNS. Results The models accurately predicted future heart rate and photoplethysmogram amplitude values with root mean square errors of approximately one-fifth the standard deviations of the data. Moreover, (1) the photoplethysmogram amplitude showed superior predictability (P=.03) and active vs sham separation compared to heart rate; (2) a consistent delay of greater than 5 seconds was found between tcVNS onset and cardiovascular effects; and (3) dynamic characteristics differentiated responses to tcVNS from the sham stimulation. Conclusions This work furthers the state of the art by modeling pertinent biomarker responses to tcVNS. Through subsequent analysis, we discovered three key findings with implications related to (1) wearable sensing devices for bioelectronic medicine, (2) the dominant mechanism of action for tcVNS-induced effects on cardiovascular physiology, and (3) the existence of dynamic biomarker signatures that can be leveraged when titrating therapy in closed loop. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02992899; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02992899 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1016/j.brs.2019.08.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim H Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kristine L S Richardson
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Wittbrodt MT, Gurel NZ, Nye JA, Ladd S, Shandhi MMH, Huang M, Shah AJ, Pearce BD, Alam ZS, Rapaport MH, Murrah N, Ko YA, Haffer AA, Shallenberger LH, Vaccarino V, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation decreases brain activity during trauma scripts. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:1333-1348. [PMID: 32659483 PMCID: PMC8214872 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Traumatic stress can have lasting effects on neurobiology and result in psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We hypothesize that non-invasive cervical vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) may alleviate trauma symptoms by reducing stress sympathetic reactivity. This study examined how nVNS alters neural responses to personalized traumatic scripts. Methods: Nineteen participants who had experienced trauma but did not have the diagnosis of PTSD completed this double-blind sham-controlled study. In three sequential time blocks, personalized traumatic scripts were presented to participants immediately followed by either sham stimulation (n = 8; 0–14 V, 0.2 Hz, pulse width = 5s) or active nVNS (n = 11; 0–30 V, 25 Hz, pulse width = 40 ms). Brain activity during traumatic scripts was assessed using High Resolution Positron Emission Tomography (HR-PET) with radiolabeled water to measure brain blood flow. Results: Traumatic scripts resulted in significant activations within the bilateral medial and orbital prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, anterior cingulate, thalamus, insula, hippocampus, right amygdala, and right putamen. Greater activation was observed during sham stimulation compared to nVNS within the bilateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex, premotor cortex, temporal lobe, parahippocampal gyrus, insula, and left anterior cingulate. During the first exposure to the trauma scripts, greater activations were found in the motor cortices and ventral visual stream whereas prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate activations were more predominant with later script presentations for those subjects receiving sham stimulation. Conclusion: nVNS decreases neural reactivity to an emotional stressor in limbic and other brain areas involved in stress, with changes over repeated exposures suggesting a shift from scene appraisal to cognitively processing the emotional event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Nil Z Gurel
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy Ladd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Md Mobashir H Shandhi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Bradley D Pearce
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zuhayr S Alam
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark H Rapaport
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ammer A Haffer
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
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Alt LK, Wach K, Liebler EJ, Straube A, Ruscheweyh R. A Randomized Sham-Controlled Cross-Over Study on the Short-Term Effect of Non-Invasive Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Spinal and Supraspinal Nociception in Healthy Subjects. Headache 2020; 60:1616-1631. [PMID: 32592516 DOI: 10.1111/head.13891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to test the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on the descending pain inhibition, quantified by the nociceptive flexor (RIII) reflex and the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigm, and on supraspinal nociceptive responses, assessed by pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings and late somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), in healthy subjects. BACKGROUND Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) showed promising effects on headache and pain treatment. Underlying mechanisms are only incompletely understood but may include the activation of the descending pain inhibitory system and/or the modification of emotional responses to pain. METHODS Twenty-seven adult, healthy, and pain-free subjects participated in this double-blind cross-over study conducted at a university research center. They received 4 minutes of cervical nVNS or sham stimulation in randomized order. RIII reflexes, pain ratings, and SEPs were assessed before, during, and 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes after nVNS/sham stimulation, followed by CPM testing. The primary outcome was the nVNS effect on the RIII reflex size. Three subjects were excluded after the preparatory session (before randomization), 1 subject was excluded after outlier analysis, leaving 23 for analysis. RESULTS RIII reflex areas were 917.1 ± 563.8 µV × ms (mean ± SD) before, 952.4 ± 467.4 µV × ms during and 929.2 ± 484.0 µV × ms immediately after nVNS and 858.4 ± 489.2 µV × ms before, 913.9 ± 539.7 µV × ms during and 862.4 ± 476.0 µV × ms after sham stimulation, revealing no differences between the immediate effects of nVNS and sham stimulation (F [3,66] = 0.67, P = .574). There also were no effects of nVNS over sham on RIII reflex areas up to 60 minutes after nVNS (F [1.7,37.4] = 1.29, P = .283). Similarly, there was no statistically significant effect of nVNS on pain intensity ratings and thresholds, RIII reflex thresholds, late SEP amplitudes, and the CPM effect, compared to sham. Pain unpleasantness ratings statistically significantly decreased from 4.4 ± 2.4 (NRS 0-10) to 4.1 ± 2.5 during nVNS compared to sham stimulation (F [1,22] = 8.74, P = .007), but there were no longer lasting effects (5-60 minutes after stimulation). CONCLUSIONS The present study does not support an acute effect of nVNS on descending pain inhibition, pain intensity perception or supraspinal nociception in healthy adults. However, there was a small effect on pain unpleasantness during nVNS, suggesting that nVNS may preferentially act on affective, not somatosensory pain components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Alt
- Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Wach
- Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Straube
- Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,Research Training Group 2175, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ruth Ruscheweyh
- Department of Neurology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,Research Training Group 2175, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Adair D, Truong D, Esmaeilpour Z, Gebodh N, Borges H, Ho L, Bremner JD, Badran BW, Napadow V, Clark VP, Bikson M. Electrical stimulation of cranial nerves in cognition and disease. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:717-750. [PMID: 32289703 PMCID: PMC7196013 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The cranial nerves are the pathways through which environmental information (sensation) is directly communicated to the brain, leading to perception, and giving rise to higher cognition. Because cranial nerves determine and modulate brain function, invasive and non-invasive cranial nerve electrical stimulation methods have applications in the clinical, behavioral, and cognitive domains. Among other neuromodulation approaches such as peripheral, transcranial and deep brain stimulation, cranial nerve stimulation is unique in allowing axon pathway-specific engagement of brain circuits, including thalamo-cortical networks. In this review we amalgamate relevant knowledge of 1) cranial nerve anatomy and biophysics; 2) evidence of the modulatory effects of cranial nerves on cognition; 3) clinical and behavioral outcomes of cranial nerve stimulation; and 4) biomarkers of nerve target engagement including physiology, electroencephalography, neuroimaging, and behavioral metrics. Existing non-invasive stimulation methods cannot feasibly activate the axons of only individual cranial nerves. Even with invasive stimulation methods, selective targeting of one nerve fiber type requires nuance since each nerve is composed of functionally distinct axon-types that differentially branch and can anastomose onto other nerves. None-the-less, precisely controlling stimulation parameters can aid in affecting distinct sets of axons, thus supporting specific actions on cognition and behavior. To this end, a rubric for reproducible dose-response stimulation parameters is defined here. Given that afferent cranial nerve axons project directly to the brain, targeting structures (e.g. thalamus, cortex) that are critical nodes in higher order brain networks, potent effects on cognition are plausible. We propose an intervention design framework based on driving cranial nerve pathways in targeted brain circuits, which are in turn linked to specific higher cognitive processes. State-of-the-art current flow models that are used to explain and design cranial-nerve-activating stimulation technology require multi-scale detail that includes: gross anatomy; skull foramina and superficial tissue layers; and precise nerve morphology. Detailed simulations also predict that some non-invasive electrical or magnetic stimulation approaches that do not intend to modulate cranial nerves per se, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), may also modulate activity of specific cranial nerves. Much prior cranial nerve stimulation work was conceptually limited to the production of sensory perception, with individual titration of intensity based on the level of perception and tolerability. However, disregarding sensory emulation allows consideration of temporal stimulation patterns (axon recruitment) that modulate the tone of cortical networks independent of sensory cortices, without necessarily titrating perception. For example, leveraging the role of the thalamus as a gatekeeper for information to the cerebral cortex, preventing or enhancing the passage of specific information depending on the behavioral state. We show that properly parameterized computational models at multiple scales are needed to rationally optimize neuromodulation that target sets of cranial nerves, determining which and how specific brain circuitries are modulated, which can in turn influence cognition in a designed manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Adair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dennis Truong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zeinab Esmaeilpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Nigel Gebodh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helen Borges
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Libby Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Bashar W Badran
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, MGH, Harvard medical school, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vincent P Clark
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Dept. Psychology, MSC03-2220, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; The Mind Research Network of the Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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Yap JYY, Keatch C, Lambert E, Woods W, Stoddart PR, Kameneva T. Critical Review of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Challenges for Translation to Clinical Practice. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:284. [PMID: 32410932 PMCID: PMC7199464 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have illustrated that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) can elicit therapeutic effects that are similar to those produced by its invasive counterpart, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). VNS is an FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of both depression and epilepsy, but it is limited to the management of more severe, intervention-resistant cases as a second or third-line treatment option due to perioperative risks involved with device implantation. In contrast, tVNS is a non-invasive technique that involves the application of electrical currents through surface electrodes at select locations, most commonly targeting the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) and the cervical branch of the vagus nerve in the neck. Although it has been shown that tVNS elicits hypo- and hyperactivation in various regions of the brain associated with anxiety and mood regulation, the mechanism of action and influence of stimulation parameters on clinical outcomes remains predominantly hypothetical. Suppositions are largely based on correlations between the neurobiology of the vagus nerve and its effects on neural activity. However, tVNS has also been investigated for several other disorders, including tinnitus, migraine and pain, by targeting the vagus nerve at sites in both the ear and the neck. As most of the described methods differ in the parameters and protocols applied, there is currently no firm evidence on the optimal location for tVNS or the stimulation parameters that provide the greatest therapeutic effects for a specific condition. This review presents the current status of tVNS with a focus on stimulation parameters, stimulation sites, and available devices. For tVNS to reach its full potential as a non-invasive and clinically relevant therapy, it is imperative that systematic studies be undertaken to reveal the mechanism of action and optimal stimulation modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Y. Y. Yap
- ARC Training Centre in Biodevices, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Charlotte Keatch
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Lambert
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Will Woods
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul R. Stoddart
- ARC Training Centre in Biodevices, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Tatiana Kameneva
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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40
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Rodenkirch C, Wang Q. Rapid and transient enhancement of thalamic information transmission induced by vagus nerve stimulation. J Neural Eng 2020; 17:026027. [PMID: 31935689 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab6b84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been FDA-approved as a long-term, therapeutic treatment for multiple disorders, including pharmacoresistant epilepsy and depression. Here we elucidate the short-term effects of VNS on sensory processing. APPROACH We employed an information theoretic approach to examine the effects of VNS on thalamocortical transmission of sensory-related information along the somatosensory pathway. MAIN RESULTS We found that VNS enhanced the selectivity of the response of thalamic neurons to specific kinetic features in the stimuli, resulting in a significant increase in the efficiency and rate of stimulus-related information conveyed by thalamic spikes. VNS-induced improvements in thalamic sensory processing coincided with a decrease in thalamic burst firing. Importantly, we found VNS-induced enhancement of sensory processing had a rapid onset and offset, completely disappearing one minute after cessation of VNS. The timescales of these effects indicate against an underlying mechanism involving long-term neuroplasticity. We found several patterns of VNS (tonic, standard duty-cycle, and fast duty-cycle) all induced similar improvements in sensory processing. Under closer inspection we noticed that due to the fast timescale of VNS effects on sensory processing, standard duty-cycle VNS induced a fluctuating sensory processing state which may be sub-optimal for perceptual behavior. Fast duty-cycle VNS and continuous, tonic VNS induced quantitatively similar improvements in thalamic information transmission as standard duty-cycle VNS without inducing a fluctuating thalamic state. Further, we found the strength of VNS-induced improvements in sensory processing increased monotonically with amplitude and frequency of VNS. SIGNIFICANCE These results demonstrate, for the first time, the feasibility of utilizing specific patterns of VNS to rapidly improve sensory processing and confirm fast duty-cycle and tonic patterns as optimal for this purpose, while showing standard duty-cycle VNS causes non-optimal fluctuations in thalamic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Rodenkirch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, ET351, 500 W. 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
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Gurel NZ, Gazi AH, Scott KL, Wittbrodt MT, Shah AJ, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Timing Considerations for Noninvasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation in Clinical Studies. AMIA ... ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS. AMIA SYMPOSIUM 2020; 2019:1061-1070. [PMID: 32308903 PMCID: PMC7153149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation (n-VNS) devices have the potential for widespread applicability in improving the well-being of patients with stress-related psychiatric disorders. n-VNS devices are known to affect physiological signals, and, recently, they have been employed in various protocols involving both acute and longitudinal applications. However, questions regarding response time, "dosage," or optimal treatment paradigms remain open. Prior work evaluated noninvasively obtained biomarkers that quantify the stimulation efficacy based on the changes in autonomic tone in a randomized double-blind study. In this work, we extend the state-of-the-art by investigating the onset of action for n-VNS in these same physiological biomarkers through a three-day clinical trial, including 233 administrations on 24 human participants, with and without immediately preceding acute traumatic stress. Determining n-VNS latency serves as a substantial step toward optimizing stimulation delivery with higher temporal resolution for personalized neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Asim H Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kristine L Scott
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
- Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
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Davids M, Guérin B, Klein V, Schmelz M, Schad LR, Wald LL. Optimizing selective stimulation of peripheral nerves with arrays of coils or surface electrodes using a linear peripheral nerve stimulation metric. J Neural Eng 2020; 17:016029. [PMID: 31665707 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab52bd] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We present a PNS oracle, which solves these computation time and linearity problems and is, therefore, well-suited for fast optimization of voltage distributions in contact electrode arrays and current drive patterns in non-contact magnetic coil arrays. APPROACH The PNS oracle metric for a nerve fiber is computed from an electric field map using only linear operations (projection, differentiation, convolution, scaling). Due to its linearity, this PNS metric can be precomputed for a set of coil or electrode segments, allowing rapid PNS prediction and comparison of any possible coil or electrode stimulation configuration constructed from this set. The PNS oracle is closely related to the classical activating function and modified driving functions but is adjusted to better correlate with full neurodynamic modeling of myelinated mammalian nerves. MAIN RESULTS We validated the PNS oracle in three MRI gradient coils and two body models and found good correlation between the PNS oracle and the full neurodynamic modeling approach (R 2 > 0.995). Finally, we demonstrated its potential utility by optimizing the driving currents and voltages of arrays of 108 magnetic coils or 108 contact electrodes to selectively stimulate target nerves in the lower leg. SIGNIFICANCE Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) by electromagnetic fields can be accurately simulated using coupled electromagnetic and neurodynamic modeling. Such simulations are slow and non-linear in the electric field, which makes it difficult to iteratively optimize coil and electrode configurations or drive patterns aiming to avoid PNS or to initiate it for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Davids
- A A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Suzuki T, Takizawa T, Kamio Y, Qin T, Hashimoto T, Fujii Y, Murayama Y, Patel AB, Ayata C. Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation Prevents Ruptures and Improves Outcomes in a Model of Intracranial Aneurysm in Mice. Stroke 2020; 50:1216-1223. [PMID: 30943885 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.118.023928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background and Purpose- Inflammation is a critical determinant of aneurysmal wall destabilization, growth, and rupture risk. Targeting inflammation may suppress aneurysm rupture. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been shown to suppress inflammation both systemically and in the central nervous system. Therefore, we tested the effect of a novel noninvasive transcutaneous VNS approach on aneurysm rupture and outcome in a mouse model of intracranial aneurysm formation with wall inflammation. Methods- Aneurysms were induced by a single stereotaxic injection of elastase into the cerebrospinal fluid at the skull base, combined with systemic deoxycorticosterone-salt hypertension, without or with high-salt diet, for mild or severe outcomes, respectively. Cervical VNS (two 2-minute stimulations 5 minutes apart) was delivered once a day starting from the day after elastase injection for the duration of follow-up. Transcutaneous stimulation of the femoral nerve (FNS) served as control. Multiple aneurysms developed in the circle of Willis and its major branches, resulting in spontaneous ruptures and subarachnoid hemorrhage, neurological deficits, and mortality. Results- In the milder model, VNS significantly reduced aneurysm rupture rate compared with FNS (29% versus 80%, respectively). Subarachnoid hemorrhage grades were also lower in the VNS group. In the more severe model, both VNS and FNS arms developed very high rupture rates (77% and 85%, respectively). However, VNS significantly improved the survival rate compared with FNS after rupture (median survival 13 versus 6 days, respectively), without diminishing the subarachnoid hemorrhage grades. Chronic daily VNS reduced MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) expression compared with FNS, providing a potential mechanism of action. As an important control, chronic daily VNS did not alter systemic arterial blood pressure compared with FNS. Conclusions- VNS can reduce aneurysm rupture rates and improve the outcome from ruptured aneurysms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoaki Suzuki
- From the Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown (T.S., T.T., T.Q., C.A.).,Department of Neurosurgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan (T.S., Y.M.).,Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan (T.S., Y.F.)
| | - Tsubasa Takizawa
- From the Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown (T.S., T.T., T.Q., C.A.)
| | - Yoshinobu Kamio
- Departments of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco (Y.K.)
| | - Tao Qin
- From the Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown (T.S., T.T., T.Q., C.A.)
| | - Tomoki Hashimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ (T.H.)
| | - Yukihiko Fujii
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan (T.S., Y.F.)
| | - Yuichi Murayama
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan (T.S., Y.M.)
| | - Aman B Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston (A.B.P.)
| | - Cenk Ayata
- From the Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown (T.S., T.T., T.Q., C.A.).,Stroke Service, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (C.A.)
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Gurel NZ, Huang M, Wittbrodt MT, Jung H, Ladd SL, Shandhi MMH, Ko YA, Shallenberger L, Nye JA, Pearce B, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Quantifying acute physiological biomarkers of transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation in the context of psychological stress. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:47-59. [PMID: 31439323 PMCID: PMC8252146 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is associated with activation of the sympathetic nervous system, and can lead to lasting alterations in autonomic function and in extreme cases symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is a potentially useful tool as a modulator of autonomic nervous system function, however currently available implantable devices are limited by cost and inconvenience. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of transcutaneous cervical VNS (tcVNS) on autonomic responses to stress. METHODS Using a double-blind approach, we investigated the effects of active or sham tcVNS on peripheral cardiovascular and autonomic responses to stress using wearable sensing devices in 24 healthy human participants with a history of exposure to psychological trauma. Participants were exposed to acute stressors over a three-day period, including personalized scripts of traumatic events, public speech, and mental arithmetic tasks. RESULTS tcVNS relative to sham applied immediately after traumatic stress resulted in a decrease in sympathetic function and modulated parasympathetic/sympathetic autonomic tone as measured by increased pre-ejection period (PEP) of the heart (a marker of cardiac sympathetic function) of 4.2 ms (95% CI 1.6-6.8 ms, p < 0.01), decreased peripheral sympathetic function as measured by increased photoplethysmogram (PPG) amplitude (decreased vasoconstriction) by 47.9% (1.4-94.5%, p < 0.05), a 9% decrease in respiratory rate (-14.3 to -3.7%, p < 0.01). Similar effects were seen when tcVNS was applied after other stressors and in the absence of a stressor. CONCLUSION Wearable sensing modalities are feasible to use in experiments in human participants, and tcVNS modulates cardiovascular and peripheral autonomic responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hewon Jung
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stacy L Ladd
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Md Mobashir H Shandhi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bradley Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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45
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Bucksot JE, Wells AJ, Rahebi KC, Sivaji V, Romero-Ortega M, Kilgard MP, Rennaker RL, Hays SA. Flat electrode contacts for vagus nerve stimulation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215191. [PMID: 31738766 PMCID: PMC6862926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of available systems for vagus nerve stimulation use helical stimulation electrodes, which cover the majority of the circumference of the nerve and produce largely uniform current density within the nerve. Flat stimulation electrodes that contact only one side of the nerve may provide advantages, including ease of fabrication. However, it is possible that the flat configuration will yield inefficient fiber recruitment due to a less uniform current distribution within the nerve. Here we tested the hypothesis that flat electrodes will require higher current amplitude to activate all large-diameter fibers throughout the whole cross-section of a nerve than circumferential designs. Computational modeling and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate fiber recruitment in different nerves and different species using a variety of electrode designs. Initial results demonstrated similar fiber recruitment in the rat vagus and sciatic nerves with a standard circumferential cuff electrode and a cuff electrode modified to approximate a flat configuration. Follow up experiments comparing true flat electrodes to circumferential electrodes on the rabbit sciatic nerve confirmed that fiber recruitment was equivalent between the two designs. These findings demonstrate that flat electrodes represent a viable design for nerve stimulation that may provide advantages over the current circumferential designs for applications in which the goal is uniform activation of all fascicles within the nerve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse E. Bucksot
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Wells
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kimiya C. Rahebi
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, Richardson, Texas, United States of
America
| | - Vishnoukumaar Sivaji
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mario Romero-Ortega
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, Richardson, Texas, United States of
America
| | - Michael P. Kilgard
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, Richardson, Texas, United States of
America
- The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences,
Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Robert L. Rennaker
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, Richardson, Texas, United States of
America
- The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences,
Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Seth A. Hays
- The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and
Computer Science, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, Richardson, Texas, United States of
America
- The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences,
Richardson, Texas, United States of America
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46
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Tran P, Richardson ML, Zeng FG. Input-Output Functions in Human Heads Obtained With Cochlear Implant and Transcranial Electric Stimulation. Neuromodulation 2019; 24:1402-1411. [PMID: 31710408 DOI: 10.1111/ner.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Electric stimulation is used to treat a number of neurologic disorders such as epilepsy and depression. However, delivering the required current to far-field neural targets is often ineffective because of current spread through low-impedance pathways. Here, the specific aims are to develop an empirical measure for current passing through the human head and to optimize stimulation strategies for targeting deeper structures, including the auditory nerve, by utilizing the cochlear implant (CI). MATERIALS AND METHODS Outward input/output (I/O) functions were obtained by CI stimulation and recording scalp potentials in five CI subjects. Conversely, inward I/O functions were obtained by noninvasive transcranial electric stimulation (tES) and recording intracochlear potentials using the onboard recording capability of the CI. RESULTS I/O measures indicate substantial current spread, with a maximum of 2.2% gain recorded at the inner ear target during tES (mastoid-to-mastoid electrode configuration). Similarly, CI stimulation produced a maximum of 1.1% gain at the scalp electrode nearest the CI return electrode. Gain varied with electrode montage according to a point source model that accounted for distances between the stimulating and recording electrodes. Within the same electrode montages, current gain patterns varied across subjects suggesting the importance of tissue properties, geometry, and electrode positioning. CONCLUSION These results provide a novel objective measure of electric stimulation in the human head, which can help to optimize stimulation parameters that improve neural excitation of deep structures by reducing the influence of current spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Tran
- Center for Hearing Research, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Fan-Gang Zeng
- Center for Hearing Research, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Khadka N, Truong DQ, Williams P, Martin JH, Bikson M. The Quasi-uniform assumption for Spinal Cord Stimulation translational research. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 328:108446. [PMID: 31589892 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quasi-uniform assumption is a general theory that postulates local electric field predicts neuronal activation. Computational current flow model of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) of humans and animal models inform how the quasi-uniform assumption can support scaling neuromodulation dose between humans and translational animal. NEW METHOD Here we developed finite element models of cat and rat SCS, and brain slice, alongside SCS models. Boundary conditions related to species specific electrode dimensions applied, and electric fields per unit current (mA) predicted. RESULTS Clinically and across animal, electric fields change abruptly over small distance compared to the neuronal morphology, such that each neuron is exposed to multiple electric fields. Per unit current, electric fields generally decrease with body mass, but not necessarily and proportionally across tissues. Peak electric field in dorsal column rat and cat were ∼17x and ∼1x of clinical values, for scaled electrodes and equal current. Within the spinal cord, the electric field for rat, cat, and human decreased to 50% of peak value caudo-rostrally (C5-C6) at 0.48 mm, 3.2 mm, and 8 mm, and mediolaterally at 0.14 mm, 2.3 mm, and 3.1 mm. Because these space constants are different, electric field across species cannot be matched without selecting a region of interest (ROI). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD This is the first computational model to support scaling neuromodulation dose between humans and translational animal. CONCLUSIONS Inter-species reproduction of the electric field profile across the entire surface of neuron populations is intractable. Approximating quasi-uniform electric field in a ROI is a rational step to translational scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niranjan Khadka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Dennis Q Truong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Preston Williams
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, City University of NY School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - John H Martin
- CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, City University of NY School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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Safety of transcutaneous electrical sensory stimulation of the neck in terms of vital parameters in dysphagia rehabilitation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13481. [PMID: 31530879 PMCID: PMC6749101 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49954-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcutaneous electrical sensory stimulation (TESS) devices are approved for use in Japan, but their safety when used through the neck skin for dysphagia rehabilitation has not been reported. This study aimed to verify the safety of TESS use through the neck skin. Twenty patients (mean age 86.5 ± 5.1 years) with aspiration pneumonia undergoing dysphagia rehabilitation were included in this retrospective observational and matched control study. We compared vital signs in 10 subjects who underwent swallowing rehabilitation with the TESS device, and matched control patients over 7 days. The results were the following: tachycardia, 0.60 ± 1.07 vs. 0.70 ± 0.67 days; high blood pressure, 0.40 ± 0.70 vs. 0.50 ± 1.08 days; low blood pressure, 0.40 ± 0.70 vs. 0.10 ± 0.32 days; low oxygen saturation, 0.60 ± 1.58 vs. 0.50 ± 1.08 days, p = 0.870; oxygen administration, 0.80 ± 2.20 vs. 1.20 ± 2.15 days; tachypnea, 0.50 ± 0.71 vs. 0.50 ± 0.53 days; elevated body temperature, 2.00 ± 1.41 vs. 1.60 ± 1.96 days. There were no significant differences in clinical stability between the TESS and control groups of patients with aspiration pneumonia. TESS through the neck appears safe as an intervention in dysphagia rehabilitation.
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49
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Huang Y, Datta A, Bikson M, Parra LC. Realistic volumetric-approach to simulate transcranial electric stimulation-ROAST-a fully automated open-source pipeline. J Neural Eng 2019; 16:056006. [PMID: 31071686 PMCID: PMC7328433 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ab208d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research in the area of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) often relies on computational models of current flow in the brain. Models are built based on magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the human head to capture detailed individual anatomy. To simulate current flow on an individual, the subject's MRI is segmented, virtual electrodes are placed on this anatomical model, the volume is tessellated into a mesh, and a finite element model (FEM) is solved numerically to estimate the current flow. Various software tools are available for each of these steps, as well as processing pipelines that connect these tools for automated or semi-automated processing. The goal of the present tool-realistic volumetric-approach to simulate transcranial electric simulation (ROAST)-is to provide an end-to-end pipeline that can automatically process individual heads with realistic volumetric anatomy leveraging open-source software and custom scripts to improve segmentation and execute electrode placement. APPROACH ROAST combines the segmentation algorithm of SPM12, a Matlab script for touch-up and automatic electrode placement, the finite element mesher iso2mesh and the solver getDP. We compared its performance with commercial FEM software, and SimNIBS, a well-established open-source modeling pipeline. MAIN RESULTS The electric fields estimated with ROAST differ little from the results obtained with commercial meshing and FEM solving software. We also do not find large differences between the various automated segmentation methods used by ROAST and SimNIBS. We do find bigger differences when volumetric segmentation are converted into surfaces in SimNIBS. However, evaluation on intracranial recordings from human subjects suggests that ROAST and SimNIBS are not significantly different in predicting field distribution, provided that users have detailed knowledge of SimNIBS. SIGNIFICANCE We hope that the detailed comparisons presented here of various choices in this modeling pipeline can provide guidance for future tool development. We released ROAST as an open-source, easy-to-install and fully-automated pipeline for individualized TES modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States of America. Research & Development, Soterix Medical Inc., New York, NY 10001, United States of America
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50
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Lerman I, Davis B, Huang M, Huang C, Sorkin L, Proudfoot J, Zhong E, Kimball D, Rao R, Simon B, Spadoni A, Strigo I, Baker DG, Simmons AN. Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation alters neural response and physiological autonomic tone to noxious thermal challenge. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0201212. [PMID: 30759089 PMCID: PMC6373934 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms by which noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) affect central and peripheral neural circuits that subserve pain and autonomic physiology are not clear, and thus remain an area of intense investigation. Effects of nVNS vs sham stimulation on subject responses to five noxious thermal stimuli (applied to left lower extremity), were measured in 30 healthy subjects (n = 15 sham and n = 15 nVNS), with fMRI and physiological galvanic skin response (GSR). With repeated noxious thermal stimuli a group × time analysis showed a significantly (p < .001) decreased response with nVNS in bilateral primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (SI and SII), left dorsoposterior insular cortex, bilateral paracentral lobule, bilateral medial dorsal thalamus, right anterior cingulate cortex, and right orbitofrontal cortex. A group × time × GSR analysis showed a significantly decreased response in the nVNS group (p < .0005) bilaterally in SI, lower and mid medullary brainstem, and inferior occipital cortex. Finally, nVNS treatment showed decreased activity in pronociceptive brainstem nuclei (e.g. the reticular nucleus and rostral ventromedial medulla) and key autonomic integration nuclei (e.g. the rostroventrolateral medulla, nucleus ambiguous, and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve). In aggregate, noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation reduced the physiological response to noxious thermal stimuli and impacted neural circuits important for pain processing and autonomic output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imanuel Lerman
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Bryan Davis
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Mingxiong Huang
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Charles Huang
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Radiology, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Linda Sorkin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - James Proudfoot
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Edward Zhong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Donald Kimball
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Ramesh Rao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Bruce Simon
- electroCore LLC, Basking Ridge NJ, United States of America
| | - Andrea Spadoni
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Irina Strigo
- Department of Psychiatry, VA San Francisco Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Dewleen G. Baker
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Alan N. Simmons
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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