Movement-activated Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Rehabilitation

Launched by OLIVIER LAMBERCY · Oct 1, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has emerged as a safe and medically approved non-invasive method for stimulating the vagus nerve, utilising a small electrode placed on the outer ear to transcutaneously activate an auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Studies indicate the potential benefits of both invasive and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for motor neurorehabilitation, particularly when combined with rehabilitation exercises. A recent pilot study has shown that pairing motor rehabilitation with taVNS in a movement-gated system resulted in improvement on Fugl...

Gender

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age ≥ 18 years
• • Ability to follow study instructions
• • At least 1-2 weeks after a stroke or traumatic brain/spinal cord injury and with a residual motor deficit.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Inability to give informed consent or understand the tasks, other neurological or psychiatric illness that could confound execution/recovery. E.g. Global inattention or receptive aphasia.
• • Presence of ongoing dysphagia or aspiration difficulties
• • Subject receiving medication that may significantly interfere with actions of taVNS on neurotransmitter systems at study enrollment
• • Prior injury to vagus nerve, either bilateral or unilateral (e.g., injury during carotid endarterectomy)
• • Severe depression (Beck Depression Scale \> 29)
• • Current use of any implanted electronic device, such as a pacemaker or other neurostimulator
• • Medical or mental instability (diagnosis of personality disorder, psychosis, or substance abuse) that would prevent the subject from meeting protocol timeline
• • Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant or to breastfeed during the study period
• • Current requirement, or likely future requirement, of diathermy during the study duration