The vagus nerve is the tenth, and longest, cranial nerve. A mixed nerve, the vagus nerve has both afferent and efferent fibers. Sensory information from the organs to the brain travels through the afferent fibers. Regulatory information from the brain to the body travels through the efferent fibers. It connects the brain to the body and facilitates two-way communication. The vagus nerve aids in the regulation of heart rate, respiration, and digestion, affects mood, pain, and memory, and is essential to the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system.
Vagus nerve stimulation has been used for decades for a wide range of disorders from epilepsy to major depressive disorder, but it has mostly been invasive, coming with considerable risks and side effects. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation on the other hand targets the vagus nerve transcutaneously (from above the skin), using specially designed electrical nodes and handheld devices that generate electrical impulses. Commercial devices have evolved to allow for more control around modulation parameters, which can be adjusted to ensure effective therapy. Watch as Lumina Sages, Prof. Peter Staats and Prof. André Boezaart talk about nVNS.
The benefits of nVNS
"nVNS presents a more elegant way of stimulating the vagus nerve, that doesn't require surgery, that can be done very quickly, and has the potential to tap into the body's way of controlling disease."
Watch as Prof. Peter Staats talks a bit about some of the benefits of nVNS.
nVNS short course on the Lumina Medical Academy
The course will take you 1-2 hours to complete and has been designed pay particular attention to a non-invasive approach to vagus nerve stimulation. You will learn more about the role the vagus nerve plays in managing pain and inflammation, and why vagus nerve stimulation and activation are already being used to treat a wide range of disorders. The course has been designed for healthcare providers, pain specialists, neurologists, and nurses. Learn more about the nVNS short course.
Executive Editor: Prof. André Boezaart M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Medical Officer, Lumina Health Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Orthopedic Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
