Tag: vagal nerve stimulation
The Link Between Autonomic Nervous System and Rheumatoid Arthritis: From Bench to Bedside
As patients and readers of my blog know, I focus on the autonomic nervous system in my acupuncture practice. Autonomic balance has now been implicated in many different diseases, an important one is Rheumatoid Arthritis. Acupuncture improves autonomic balance and so does direct vagal stimulation. Both of these interventions improve autonomic balance and lower inflammatory…
Read MoreSpecific vagus nerve stimulation parameters alter serum cytokine levels in the absence of inflammation
This is an important article to keep in mind. Just as in this latest article from Harvard, stimulation parameters really matter when trying to activate vagal activity. This study is in animals and directly stimulation the vagus nerve. If you get it wrong, you can get the opposite effect. That is why I think my…
Read MoreAnatomical and clinical implications of vagal modulation of the spleen.
This is fantastic background material for the topic of vagal modulation on the spleen which can be key in the anti-inflammatory response of neuromodulation by vagal stimulation and be interence the vagal enhancement with electroacupuncture. Bassi GS, Kanashiro A, Coimbra NC, Terrando N, Maixner W, Ulloa L. Anatomical and clinical implications of vagal modulation…
Read MoreVagus Nerve Stimulation and Neurotrophins: a biological psychiatric perspective
Ok. A whole new area of brain chemistry I wasn’t aware of. I’m not even sure where Neurotrophins are found. Will report once I know. I’m tempted to buy this article, but don’t want to get carried away. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763419310516 Review article Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Neurotrophins: a biological psychiatric perspective Author links open overlay panelPamelaRossoa1AngelaIannitellib1FrancescaPacittibcAdeleQuartinibElenaFicoaMarcoFioreaAntonioGrecodMassimoRallidPaolaTirassaa…
Read MoreDopamine mediates vagal modulation of the immune system by electroacupuncture.
Believe it or not, this might be relevant to the current covid crisis since patients are having a “cytokine storm”. Possibly electro acupuncture would help. It won’t happen, but maybe in the future. Dopamine Mediates the Vagal Modulation of The Immune System by Electroacupuncture Torres Rosas and Ulloa Abstract Previous anti-inflammatory strategies against sepsis, a…
Read MoreNeural networks and the anti-inflammatory effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in depression
Full article link here PDF hereTAVNS and antiinflammatory effect on depression 202012974_2020_Article_1732 Abstract Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a relatively non-invasive alternative treatment for patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). It has been postulated that acupuncture may achieve its treatment effects on MDD through suppression of vagal nerve inflammatory responses. Our previous…
Read MoreA novel controller based on state-transition models for closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation: Application to heart rate regulation.
Complicated system of feedback for implanted vagus nerve stimulators. Posted for the record. PLoS One. 2017 Oct 27;12(10):e0186068. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186068. eCollection 2017. A novel controller based on state-transition models for closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation: Application to heart rate regulation. Romero-Ugalde HM1,2, Le Rolle V1,2, Bonnet JL3, Henry C3, Bel A4, Mabo P1,2,5, Carrault G1,2, Hernández…
Read MoreVagus Nerve Stimulation Modulates Complexity of Heart Rate Variability Differently during Sleep and Wakefulness
This study is looking at direct vagal nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients. Complexity is increased by vagal nerve stimulation during sleep, but not during wakefulness. This is a confounding finding! HRV with vagal nerve stimulation, both direct and through transcutaneous vagal nerve stim, is really befuddling. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2017 Oct-Dec; 20(4): 403–407. doi: 10.4103/aian.AIAN_148_17…
Read MoreCurrent Directions in the Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation II – An Engineering Perspective
I’ve made the first pass through of this informative paper. It discusses the current state of the art of TAVNS or aTVNS which is auricular (ear) vagal nerve stimulation. There seems to be consensus that percutaneous needles with stimulation are the way to go. Also that closed loop biofeedback will make the stim more effective. …
Read MoreVagus Nerve Stimulation Dramatically Reduces Inflammation Psychology Today
This article gives a great summary of recent studies into the vagus nerve and its role in health as the “rest and digest” side of the autonomic nervous system. Clinical and experimental studies indicate that stress and depression are associated with the up-regulation of the immune system, including increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines…When administered to…
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