TAVNS for Mild Cognitive Impairment Double Blind Study
A double blind randomized trial of transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation for mild cognitive impairment.Scroll down for a brief video explaining the importance of this study. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The primary outcome measure was the Montreal cognitive…
Read MoreRapamycin for Longevity
This article looks at the recent science behind rapamycin for longevity. It’s sort of funny to me that Deepak Chopra would be taking it. He claims he also does 2 hours of yoga a day which I consider a better strategy. I did a post on rapaymycin and metformin here. I firmly believe in first…
Read MoreTAVNS for Migraine:1Hz Better than 25hz
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TAVNS for migraine, or transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagal nerve (t-VNS) in treating chronic migraine. Patients were randomized to receive either 25 Hz or 1 Hz stimulation for 4 hours a day over three months. Patients in the 1 Hz group…
Read MoreAcupuncture for Migraine versus erenumab: 2020 study
Manual acupuncture for migraine This is from the British Medical Acupuncture Society Blog. It is from 2020 but very pertinent today! I love the tone of this blog. Lighthearted but fervent! A large portion of my practice is devoted to acupuncture for migraine. The basic points that he makes are 1. That he was amazed that…
Read MoreEfficacy and Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Migraine
Migraine is a condition I treat frequently in the clinic. This review article goes into the different mechanisms that account for acupuncture’s often dramatic results. The studies suggest that it can affects neuropeptides, immune cells, proinflammatory and excitatory neurotransmitters, and modulate neuronal-sensitization-related mediators, endocannabinoid system, and serotonin system activation. Clinical studies show that acupuncture can…
Read MoreAcupuncture versus Ajovy_fremanezumab
There was no difference between the acupuncture and fremanezumab in the reduction of monthly migraine rates. Think about that! This is an injectable, expensive drug that you would need to take for a long time. I would venture to guess from my own experience with migraine patients, that with acupuncture you need less and less…
Read MoreTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improve autonomic balance and metabolic syndrome
de Moraes TL, Costa FO, Cabral DG, Fernandes DM, Sangaleti CT, Dalboni MA, Motta E Motta J, de Souza LA, Montano N, Irigoyen MC, Brines M, J Tracey K, Pavlov VA, Consolim Colombo FM. Brief periods of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improve autonomic balance and alter circulating monocytes and endothelial cells in patients…
Read MoreEar stimulation to Lower Blood Pressure: RAVANS or TAVNS
I’ve been looking at vagal activity with ear stimulation, or transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TAVNS)in the clinic for several years. As readers know, acupuncture calms the stress response by increasing vagal activity. TAVNS should increase vagal activity also. If I can show this, it would give me added confidence in having people use a…
Read MoreHuberman: Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal, HRV and vagus
One of the mail goals of my practice is to improve patients’ autonomic balance and increase vagal activity. I firmly believe if we can encourage vagal activity, we will see benefits to mood, immunity, pain all of which leads to longer life. Besides acupuncture, TAVNS, exercise, probiotics and good sleep, breathing is a key lever…
Read MoreVagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders
I’ve been alerted to ever more mention of the vagus nerve in the popular press. I’ve been interested in the vagus nerve and parasympathetic activity for longer than I choose to admit. That is why I measure Heart Rate Variability in the clinic to get a glimpse into patients’ parasympathetic tone overall and how it…
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