Bioelectric Neuromodulation

Excellent paper demonstrating how low heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with increased inflammation. High-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) had the strongest inverse relationship with proinflammatory cytokines.  HF-HRV represents the functionality of the vagus nerve, the conduit of all parasympathetic signaling.The vagus nerve can lose function because of chronically elevated blood sugar, chemotherapies, and ironically chronic inflammation from bacterial overgrowth or imbalances of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. When the vagus nerve fails, the inflammation jumps even further since the Vagus nerve is the primary mechanism that controls inflammation.  Fortunately, treatment through vagus nerve stimulation is a way to regain control

Another excellent example of the growing clinical utility of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation.   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34187756/

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has a wide range of potentially powerful effects. Another study has demonstrated increased stroke recovery when VNS is combined with physical therapy. The study involved 19 rehabilitation centers within the U.S. and U.K. and involved 108 participants. The patients whose strokes had occurred an average of 3 years prior whose received rehabilitation 3 times a week for 6 weeks followed by a home exercise program. VNS was used in conjunction with therapeutic exercise. About twice as many participants in the VNS group achieved clinically meaningful improvement in arm function. Ninety days after in-clinic therapy, 47%of this

Using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) for 2 minutes, 3 times per day reduces inflammation markers in the bloodstream and improves symptoms from psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. In addition to other studies showing benefits in rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease, this study provides additional evidence that tVNS may be an effective anti-inflammatory therapy for a variety of autoimmune disorders.

The authors of this paper discuss how VNS paired with behavioral therapy may represent a potential new approach to enhance rehabilitation that could significantly improve the outcomes of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. ‘