A novel transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation leads to brainstem and cerebral activations measured by functional MRI / Funktionelle Magnetresonanztomographie zeigt Aktivierungen des Hirnstamms und weiterer zerebraler Strukturen unter transkutaner Vagusnervstimulation

Dietrich, Suzanne W.; Smith, James; Scherzinger, Charlotte; Hofmann-Preiß, K; Freitag, Timo; Eisenkolb, Alexander; Ringler, R.

doi:10.1515/bmt.2008.022

Cited by 216 publications

(139 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

118

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Following the suggestions by Dietrich et al (2008) for optimal stimulation, the tVNS s device was programmed to a stimulus intensity at .5 mA, delivered with a pulse width of 200-300 ms at 25 Hz. Stimulation was active for 30 seconds, followed by a break of 30 seconds.…”

Section: Tvnsmentioning

confidence: 99%

RETRACTED: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances response selection during action cascading processes

Steenbergen

Sellaro

Stock

et al. 2015

European Neuropsychopharmacology

107

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Tvnsmentioning

confidence: 99%

RETRACTED: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances response selection during action cascading processes

Steenbergen

Sellaro

Stock

et al. 2015

European Neuropsychopharmacology

107

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…While Kraus et al [35] and Dietrich et al [11] reported deactivation of the amygdala and accumbens, respectively, using ear stimulation, they did not apply the stimulation to the cymba conchae; regional differential innervation of the ear may account for these different findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A subsequent study in rats provided further evidence of a direct projection of the ABVN to the NTS [19]. Three functional MRI (fMRI) studies in humans investigating the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (t-VNS) via the external ear did not report activation of the NTS, possibly because of methodological differences or because different regions of the external ear other than the cymba conchae were stimulated and were not supplied or insufficiently supplied by the ABVN [11,35,36]. However, the brain regions that were significantly affected by the stimulation in those studies are consistent with primary and higher-order central projections of the vagus nerve.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non-invasive Access to the Vagus Nerve Central Projections via Electrical Stimulation of the External Ear: fMRI Evidence in Humans

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Tract-tracing studies in cats and rats demonstrated that the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) projects to the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS); it has remained unclear as to whether or not the ABVN projects to the NTS in humans. Objective To ascertain whether non-invasive electrical stimulation of the cymba conchae, a region of the external ear exclusively innervated by the ABVN, activates the NTS and the “classical” central vagal projections in humans. Methods Twelve healthy adults underwent two fMRI scans in the same session. Electrical stimulation (continuous 0.25ms pulses, 25Hz) was applied to the earlobe (control, scan #1) and left cymba conchae (scan #2). Statistical analyses were performed with FSL. Two region-of-interest analyses were performed to test the effects of cymba conchae stimulation (compared to baseline and control, earlobe, stimulation) on the central vagal projections (corrected; brainstem p<0.01, forebrain p<0.05), followed by a whole-brain analysis (corrected, p< 0.05). Results Cymba conchae stimulation, compared to earlobe (control) stimulation, produced significant activation of the “classical” central vagal projections, e.g., widespread activity in the ipsilateral nucleus of the solitary tract, bilateral spinal trigeminal nucleus, dorsal raphe, locus coeruleus, and contralateral parabrachial area, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens. Bilateral activation of the paracentral lobule was also observed. Deactivations were observed bilaterally in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Conclusion These findings provide evidence in humans that the central projections of the ABVN are consistent with the “classical” central vagal projections and can be accessed non-invasively via the external ear.

show abstract

“…A transcutaneous method of VNS (t-VNS) targets the cutaneous receptive field of the ABVN. Applying an electrical stimulus to the left cymba conchae (using a stimulus intensity above the sensory detection threshold, but below the pain threshold) results in a brain activation pattern not dissimilar to that of left cervical VNS [16-18]. The use of t-VNS for treating epilepsy was first proposed in 2000 [19].…”

Section: Methods Of Vagus Nerve Stimulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Howland

2014

Curr Behav Neurosci Rep

312

234

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The vagus nerve is a major component of the autonomic nervous system, has an important role in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis, and plays a key role in the neuroendocrine-immune axis to maintain homeostasis through its afferent and efferent pathways. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) refers to any technique that stimulates the vagus nerve, including manual or electrical stimulation. Left cervical VNS is an approved therapy for refractory epilepsy and for treatment resistant depression. Right cervical VNS is effective for treating heart failure in preclinical studies and a phase II clinical trial. The effectiveness of various forms of non-invasive transcutaneous VNS for epilepsy, depression, primary headaches, and other conditions has not been investigated beyond small pilot studies. The relationship between depression, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease might be mediated by the vagus nerve. VNS deserves further study for its potentially favorable effects on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic, and other physiological biomarkers associated with depression morbidity and mortality.

show abstract

A novel transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation leads to brainstem and cerebral activations measured by functional MRI / Funktionelle Magnetresonanztomographie zeigt Aktivierungen des Hirnstamms und weiterer zerebraler Strukturen unter transkutaner Vagusnervstimulation

Abstract: The method and device are feasible and appropriate for accessing cerebral vagus nerve structures, respectively. As functional patterns share features with fMRI BOLD, the effects previously studied with the NCP are discussed and new possibilities of tVNS are hypothesised.

Cited by 216 publications

References 27 publications

RETRACTED: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances response selection during action cascading processes

RETRACTED: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances response selection during action cascading processes

Non-invasive Access to the Vagus Nerve Central Projections via Electrical Stimulation of the External Ear: fMRI Evidence in Humans

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About