Vagal nerve stimulation as a promising tool in the improvement of cognitive disorders.

Author: Broncel A1, Bocian R2, Kłos-Wojtczak P3, Kulbat-Warycha K4, Konopacki J5
Affiliation:
1Neuromedical Ltd., Research Department, Natolin 15, 92-701, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: adam.broncel@medicaltechnologycenter.eu.
2Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, The University of Lodz, Pomorska St. No 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: renata.bocian@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
3Neuromedical Ltd., Research Department, Natolin 15, 92-701, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: paulina.klos@medicaltechnologycenter.eu.
4Neuromedical Ltd., Research Department, Natolin 15, 92-701, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: kamila.kulbat@medicaltechnologycenter.eu.
5Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, The University of Lodz, Pomorska St. No 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: jan.konopacki@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
Conference/Journal: Brain Res Bull.
Date published: 2019 Nov 29
Other: Pages: S0361-9230(19)30813-5 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.11.011. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 151


Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is known as an effective method of treatment in a number of neurological disorders. The low risk of side effects also makes it useful in clinical trials in other diseases. Branches of the vagal nerve innervate the anatomical structures known to be involved in memory processing. That is why it seems justified that several studies emphasize the impact of VNS on the cognitive and memory function in both healthy volunteers and patients with epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. Results have shown that VNS can modulate different types of memory depending the protocol of stimulation in non-demented patients after both short term and chronic VNS application. Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS), which is a non-invasive method of VNS, opens up new perspectives for different clinical applications.

Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.

KEYWORDS: Alzheimer’s disease; cognition; dementia; epilepsy; transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation; vagal nerve stimulation

PMID: 31790720 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.11.011

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