Stimulating the Vagus Nerve May Reduce Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
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Stimulating the vagus nerve may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis and
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Boosts Motor Learning in Mouse Model:
Stimulating the vagus nerve may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis and potentially delay the disease's progression.
Providing electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve, a large nerve that plays important roles in modulating nonconscious bodily processes like digestion and heart rate, can improve motor learning in mice, a new study shows.
The approach specifically helped the animals learn motor tasks faster and achieve better performance levels in the tasks. These findings may have applications in the care of neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis.
"The idea of being able to move the brain into a state where it's able to learn new things is important for any disorders that have motor or cognitive impairments," Cristin Welle, PhD, senior author of the study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a university press release.
"Our hope is that vagus nerve stimulation can be paired with ongoing rehabilitation in disorders for patients who are recovering from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, PTSD or a number of other conditions," Welle said.
The study, "Vagus nerve stimulation drives selective circuit modulation through cholinergic reinforcement," was published in Neuron.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), which involves using a surgically implanted device to provide electrical simulation to the vagus nerve, is approved to treat epilepsy and depression. VNS paired with motor rehabilitation was recently approved to treat motor problems associated with stroke based on clinical trial data showing that adding VNS could improve rehabilitation outcomes.
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