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A review of functional neuroimaging studies of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)
Abstract
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a new method for preventing and treating seizures, and shows promise as a potential new antidepressant. The mechanisms of action of VNS are still unknown, although the afferent direct and secondary connections of the vagus nerve are well established and are the most likely route of VNS brain effects. Over the past several years, many groups have used functional brain imaging to better understand VNS effects on the brain. Since these studies differ somewhat in their methodologies, findings and conclusions, at first glance, this literature may appear inconsistent. Although disagreement exists regarding the specific locations and the direction of brain activation, the differences across studies are largely due to different methods, and the results are not entirely inconsistent. We provide an overview of these functional imaging studies of VNS. PET (positron emission tomography) and SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) studies have implicated several brain areas affected by VNS, without being able to define the key structures consistently and immediately activated by VNS. BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), with its relatively high spatio-temporal resolution, performed during VNS, can reveal the location and level of the brain's immediate response to VNS. As a whole, these studies demonstrate that VNS causes immediate and longer-term changes in brain regions with vagus innervations and which have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. These include the thalamus, cerebellum, orbitofrontal cortex, limbic system, hypothalamus, and medulla. Functional neuroimaging studies have the potential to provide greater insight into the brain circuitry behind the activity of VNS.
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“Functional neuroimaging studies have confirmed that VNS alters the activity of many cortical and subcortical regions (81).”
From Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders (2018) · cites this paper as [81]
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Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders
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Metadata
- Authors
- Chae, J.-H., Nahas, Z., Lomarev, M., Denslow, S., Lorberbaum, J. P., Bohning, D. E., & George, M. S.
- Affiliations
- Medical University of South Carolina (US)
- Corresponding author
- George, Mark S
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-11
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 443-455
- ISSN
- 0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2064445431
- Cited by
- 255
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 1.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Clinical Neurology › Deep Brain Stimulation and Movement Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Keywords
- vagus nerve stimulation, functional neuroimaging, seizure prevention, epilepsy, antidepressants, mechanism of action, thalamus, cerebellum, orbitofrontal cortex, limbic system, hypothalamus, medulla, brain activation, neuropsychiatric disorders
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Oxygen, Seizures, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Vagus Nerve, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon, Radiopharmaceuticals, Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
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