Vagus nerve stimulation therapy

Article abstract—Over the past 5 years, and especially within the last year, there has been a rapid expansion of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)-related preclinical research, as well as clinical studies in indications other than epilepsy. The research advances in understanding VNS are occurring in the midst of a blossoming of other forms of therapeutic brain stimulation, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS). In general, improved understanding of the neurobiological effects of VNS therapy as a function of the different use parameters (frequency, intensity, pulse width, duration, dose) is beginning to guide clinical use and help determine which diseases, in addition to epilepsy, VNS might treat.

[1]  S. Sood,et al.  Human Vagus Nerve Electrophysiology: A Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation Parameters , 2001, Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society.

[2]  D. Bohning,et al.  Feasibility of Vagus Nerve Stimulation–Synchronized Blood Oxygenation Level–Dependent Functional MRI , 2001, Investigative radiology.

[3]  W. Ammons,et al.  Vagal afferent inhibition of primate thoracic spinothalamic neurons. , 1983, Journal of neurophysiology.

[4]  A. Randich,et al.  Spinal serotonergic and kappa opioid receptors mediate facilitation of the tail flick reflex produced by vagal afferent stimulation , 1991, PAIN.

[5]  O. Pompeiano,et al.  Synchronization of the EEG produced by low-frequncy electrical stimulation of the region of the solitary tract , 1961 .

[6]  T L Faber,et al.  Brain Blood Flow Alterations Induced by Therapeutic Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Partial Epilepsy: I. Acute Effects at High and Low Levels of Stimulation , 1998, Epilepsia.

[7]  M. Kurian,et al.  The Use of Electrical Stimulation of the Vagus Nerve to Treat Morbid Obesity , 2001, Epilepsy & Behavior.

[8]  A. Hamberger,et al.  Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on amino acids and other metabolites in the CSF of patients with partial seizures , 1995, Epilepsy Research.

[9]  C. Elger,et al.  No Evidence for Cognitive Side Effects after 6 Months of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Epilepsy Patients , 2001, Epilepsy & Behavior.

[10]  W. Maixner,et al.  Evaluation of vagal afferent modulation of the digastric reflex in cats , 1991, Brain Research.

[11]  M. George.  Summary and Future Directions of Therapeutic Brain Stimulation: Neurostimulation and Neuropsychiatric Disorders , 2001, Epilepsy & Behavior.

[12]  A. Kemeny,et al.  Slow Hyperpolarization in Cortical Neurons: A Possible Mechanism Behind Vagus Nerve Simulation Therapy for Refractory Epilepsy? , 2000, Epilepsia.

[13]  D. Naritoku,et al.  Regional induction of fos immunoreactivity in the brain by anticonvulsant stimulation of the vagus nerve , 1995, Epilepsy Research.

[14]  W. James,et al.  What Is an Emotion , 1977 .

[15]  A. Randich,et al.  Effects of electrical stimulation of vagal afferents on spinothalamic tract cells in the rat , 1991, Pain.

[16]  H. Sackeim,et al.  Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for major depressive episodes: one year outcomes , 2002, Biological Psychiatry.

[17]  Dean K. Naritoku,et al.  Enhanced recognition memory following vagus nerve stimulation in human subjects , 1999, Nature Neuroscience.

[18]  C. Elger,et al.  Self-Reported Mood Changes following 6 Months of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Epilepsy Patients , 2001, Epilepsy & Behavior.

[19]  Robert Goodman,et al.  Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for treatment-resistant depressions: a multicenter study∗ ∗ See accompanying Editorial, in this issue. , 2000, Biological Psychiatry.

[20]  H. Sackeim,et al.  The effects of vagus nerve stimulation on cognitive performance in patients with treatment-resistant depression. , 2001, Neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and behavioral neurology.

[21]  D. Woodbury,et al.  Effects of Vagal Stimulation on Experimentally Induced Seizures in Rats , 1990, Epilepsia.

[22]  J. A. Deutsch,et al.  Vagotomy abolishes cues of satiety produced by gastric distension. , 1981, Science.

[23]  D. Labar,et al.  A Pilot Study of Mood in Epilepsy Patients Treated with Vagus Nerve Stimulation , 2000, Epilepsy & Behavior.

[24]  Z. Nahas,et al.  Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) synchronized BOLD fMRI suggests that VNS in depressed adults has frequency/dose dependent effects. , 2002, Journal of psychiatric research.

[25]  H. Handwerker,et al.  Left vagus nerve stimulation suppresses experimentally induced pain , 2000, Neurology.

[26]  Christian E Elger,et al.  Vagus nerve stimulation is associated with mood improvements in epilepsy patients , 2000, Epilepsy Research.

[27]  Carl Georg Lange,et al.  Ueber Gemüthsbewegungen. Eine Psycho-Physiologische Studie , 1888, Edinburgh Medical Journal.

[28]  Cole A. Giller,et al.  Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS™) for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Efficacy, Side Effects, and Predictors of Outcome , 2001, Neuropsychopharmacology.

[29]  M. Sterman,et al.  Cortical and subcortical patterns of response to afferent vagal stimulation. , 1966, Experimental neurology.

[30]  A. Randich,et al.  Low intensity vagal nerve stimulation lowers human thermal pain thresholds , 2000, Pain.

[31]  S. Krahl,et al.  Destruction of Peripheral C‐Fibers Does Not Alter Subsequent Vagus Nerve Stimulation‐Induced Seizure Suppression in Rats , 2001, Epilepsia.