scholarly journals Vagus Nerve Stimulation Affects Pain Perception in Depressed Adults

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J Borckardt ◽  
F Andrew Kozel ◽  
Berry Anderson ◽  
Angela Walker ◽  
Mark S George
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Thermal Pain ◽  
Device Parameter ◽  
Acute Changes

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) affects pain perception in epilepsy patients, with acute VNS decreasing pain thresholds and chronic VNS treatment increasing pain thresholds. However, no studies have investigated the effects of VNS on pain perception in chronically depressed adults, nor have controlled, systematic investigations been published on the differential effects of certain VNS device parameters on pain perception.OBJECTIVES: The present study tried to replicate the results of previous research showing acute pronociceptive effects of VNS and determine the effects of various device parameter settings on pain tolerance. The present study also investigated the relationship among patients' levels of depression, duration of VNS treatment and VNS-induced changes in pain perception.METHODS: A thermal pain challenge task was used to determine pain tolerance during VNS device activation using different combinations of VNS device parameter settings within subjects undergoing VNS therapy for chronic depression.RESULTS: Significant pronociceptive effects were found for acute VNS activation. Individual differences were found with respect to the VNS settings associated with the largest changes in pain perception. Severity of depression was inversely related to baseline pain tolerance, but depression severity was unrelated to VNS-induced acute changes in pain tolerance, as was the length of time participants had been undergoing VNS treatment.CONCLUSIONS: VNS appears to affect pain perception in depressed adults. Different VNS parameter settings may be associated with unique effects from patient to patient. More studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of VNS on pain perception.

Long Term Effects of Low Frequency (10 Hz) Vagus Nerve Stimulation on EEG and Heart Rate Variability in Crohn's Disease: A Case Report

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 914-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Didier Clarençon ◽  
Sonia Pellissier ◽  
Valérie Sinniger ◽  
Astrid Kibleur ◽  
Dominique Hoffman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Long Term Effects

scholarly journals Short-term Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Learning and Evoked Activity in Auditory Cortex

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesyin Lai ◽  
Stephen V. David
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Neural Coding ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Tone Frequency

ABSTRACTChronic vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can facilitate learning of sensory and motor behaviors. VNS is believed to trigger release of neuromodulators, including norepinephrine and acetylcholine, which can mediate cortical plasticity associated with learning. Most previous work has studied effects of VNS over many days, and less is known about how acute VNS influences neural coding and behavior over the shorter term. To explore this question, we measured effects of VNS on learning of an auditory discrimination over 1-2 days. Ferrets implanted with cuff electrodes on the vagus nerve were trained by classical conditioning on a tone frequency-reward association. One tone was associated with reward while another tone, was not. The frequencies and reward associations of the tones were changed every two days, requiring learning of a new relationship. When the tones (both rewarded and non-rewarded) were paired with VNS, rates of learning increased on the first day following a change in reward association. To examine VNS effects on auditory coding, we recorded single- and multi-unit neural activity in primary auditory cortex (A1) of passively listening animals following brief periods of VNS (20 trials/session) paired with tones. Because afferent VNS induces changes in pupil size associated with fluctuations in neuromodulation, we also measured pupil during recordings. After pairing VNS with a neuron’s best-frequency (BF) tone, responses in a subpopulation of neurons were reduced. Pairing with an off-BF tone or performing VNS during the inter-trial interval had no effect on responses. We separated the change in A1 activity into two components, one that could be predicted by fluctuations in pupil and one that persisted after VNS and was not accounted for by pupil. The BF-specific reduction in neural responses remained, even after regressing out changes that could be explained by pupil. In addition, the size of VNS-mediated changes in pupil predicted the magnitude of persistent changes in the neural response. This interaction suggests that changes in neuromodulation associated with arousal gate the long-term effects of VNS on neural activity. Taken together, these results support a role for VNS in auditory learning and help establish VNS as a tool to facilitate neural plasticity.

Long-term effects of 24-month treatment with vagus nerve stimulation on behaviour in children with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome

2002 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.P. Aldenkamp ◽  
H.J.M. Majoie ◽  
M.W. Berfelo ◽  
S.M.A.A. Evers ◽  
A.G.H. Kessels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Long Term Effects

The effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on pain perception – An experimental study

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Busch ◽  
Florian Zeman ◽  
Andreas Heckel ◽  
Felix Menne ◽  
Jens Ellrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation

scholarly journals Long term effects on epileptiform activity with vagus nerve stimulation in children

Seizure ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 527-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tove Hallböök ◽  
Johan Lundgren ◽  
Gösta Blennow ◽  
Lars-Göran Strömblad ◽  
Ingmar Rosén
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Epileptiform Activity ◽  
Long Term Effects

scholarly journals Long-term effects of vagus nerve stimulation in refractory pediatric epilepsy: A single-center experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 107147
Author(s):  
Dilek Yalnizoglu ◽  
Didem Ardicli ◽  
Burcak Bilginer ◽  
Bahadir Konuskan ◽  
Kader Karli Oguz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pediatric Epilepsy ◽  
Single Center ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Single Center Experience

scholarly journals The Effect of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 1166
Author(s):  
Jacob Venborg ◽  
Anne-Marie Wegeberg ◽  
Salome Kristensen ◽  
Birgitte Brock ◽  
Christina Brock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Polymyalgia Rheumatica ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Patient Reported Outcome ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Treatment Naïve

(1) Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory disease characterised by pain, morning stiffness, and reduced quality of life. Recently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to examine the effect of transcutaneous VNS (t-VNS) on PMR. (2) Fifteen treatment-naïve PMR patients completed the study. Patients underwent a 5-day protocol, receiving 2 min of t-VNS stimulation bilaterally on the neck, three times daily. Cardiac vagal tone (CVT) measured on a linear vagal scale (LVS), blood pressure, heart rate, patient-reported outcome, and biochemical changes were assessed. (3) t-VNS induced a 22% increase in CVT at 20 min after initial stimulations compared with baseline (3.4 ± 2.2 LVS vs. 4.1 ± 2.9 LVS, p = 0.02) and was accompanied by a 4 BPM reduction in heart rate (73 ± 11 BPM vs. 69 ± 9, p < 0.01). No long-term effects were observed. Furthermore, t-VNS induced a 14% reduction in the VAS score for the hips at day 5 compared with the baseline (5.1 ± 2.8 vs. 4.4 ± 2.8, p = 0.04). No changes in CRP or proinflammatory analytes were observed. (4) t-VNS modulates the autonomic nervous system in patients with PMR, but further investigation of t-VNS in PMR patients is warranted.

Effect of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Dysphagia After Lateral Medullary Infarction: A Case Report

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1381-1387
Author(s):  
Ying Yuan ◽  
Jie Wang ◽  
Dongyu Wu ◽  
Dahua Zhang ◽  
Weiqun Song
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Tube Feeding ◽  
Nasogastric Feeding ◽  
Lateral Medullary Infarction ◽  
Severe Dysphagia ◽  
Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Medullary Infarction

Purpose Severe dysphagia with weak pharyngeal peristalsis after dorsal lateral medullary infarction (LMI) requires long-term tube feeding. However, no study is currently available on therapeutic effectiveness in severe dysphagia caused by nuclear damage of vagus nerve after dorsal LMI. The purpose of the present investigation was to explore the potential of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) to improve severe dysphagia with weak pharyngeal peristalsis after dorsal LMI. Method We assessed the efficacy of 6-week tVNS in a 28-year-old woman presented with persisting severe dysphagia after dorsal LMI who had been on nasogastric feeding for 6 months. tVNS was applied for 20 min twice a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. The outcome measures included saliva spitted, Swallow Function Scoring System, Functional Oral Intake Scale, Clinical Assessment of Dysphagia With Wallenberg Syndrome, Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale, and upper esophagus X-ray examination. Results After tVNS, the patient was advanced to a full oral diet without head rotation or spitting. No saliva residue was found in the valleculae and pyriform sinuses. Contrast medium freely passed through the upper esophageal sphincter. Conclusion Our findings suggest that tVNS might provide a useful means for recovery of severe dysphagia with weak pharyngeal peristalsis after dorsal LMI. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9755438

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