Short-term transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation increases pupil size but does not affect EEG alpha power: A replication of Sharon et al. (2021, Journal of Neuroscience) DOI Creative Commons
Beth Lloyd, Franz Wurm, Roy de Kleijn

et al.

Brain stimulation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 16(4), P. 1001 - 1008

Published: June 20, 2023

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been tested as a potential treatment for pharmaco-resistant epilepsy and depression. Its clinical efficacy is thought to depend on taVNS-induced activation of the locus coeruleus other neuromodulator systems. However, unlike invasive VNS in rodents, there little evidence an effect taVNS noradrenergic activity.We attempted replicate recently published findings by Sharon et al. (2021), showing that short bursts transiently increased pupil size decreased EEG alpha power, two correlates central activity.Following original study, we used single-blind, sham-controlled, randomized cross-over design. Human volunteers (n = 29) received short-term (3.4 s) at maximum level below pain threshold, while collected resting-state pupil-size data. To analyze data, scripts provided colleagues.Consistent with dilation was significantly larger during than sham (p .009; Bayes factor supporting difference 7.45). failed power .37); data were four times more likely under null hypothesis (BF10 0.28).Our support effectiveness inducing transient dilation, correlate phasic activity. recent finding (2021) attenuates Overall, this study highlights need continued research neural mechanisms underlying its option conditions. It also direct replications influential studies.

Language: Английский

Vagus nerve stimulation in brain diseases: Therapeutic applications and biological mechanisms DOI
Yue Wang,

Gaofeng Zhan,

Ziwen Cai

et al.

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 127, P. 37 - 53

Published: April 21, 2021

Language: Английский

Citations

128

Noradrenergic modulation of rhythmic neural activity shapes selective attention DOI
Martin J. Dahl, Mara Mather, Markus Werkle‐Bergner

et al.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 26(1), P. 38 - 52

Published: Nov. 16, 2021

Language: Английский

Citations

105

Why is everyone talking about brain state? DOI Creative Commons
Abigail S. Greene, Corey Horien, Daniel Barson

et al.

Trends in Neurosciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 46(7), P. 508 - 524

Published: May 8, 2023

The rapid and coordinated propagation of neural activity across the brain provides foundation for complex behavior cognition. Technical advances neuroscience subfields have advanced understanding these dynamics, but points convergence are often obscured by semantic differences, creating silos subfield-specific findings. In this review we describe how a parsimonious conceptualization state as fundamental building block whole-brain offers common framework to relate findings scales species. We present examples diverse techniques commonly used study states associated with physiology higher-order cognitive processes, discuss integration them will enable more comprehensive mechanistic characterization dynamics that crucial survival disrupted in disease.

Language: Английский

Citations

84

Tonic and phasic transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) both evoke rapid and transient pupil dilation DOI Creative Commons
Lina Skora, Anna Marzecová, Gerhard Jocham

et al.

Brain stimulation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(2), P. 233 - 244

Published: Feb. 28, 2024

BackgroundTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS or taVNS) is a non-invasive method of electrical the afferent pathway nerve, suggested to drive changes in putative physiological markers noradrenergic activity, including pupil dilation.ObjectiveHowever, it unknown whether different taVNS modes can map onto phasic and tonic activity. The effects on dilation humans are inconsistent, largely due differences protocols. Here, we attempted address these issues.MethodsWe investigated under (1 s) (30 taVNS, pre-registered, single-blind, sham-controlled, within-subject cross-over design, absence behavioural task.ResultsPhasic induced rapid increase size over baseline, significantly greater than sham stimulation, which rapidly declined after offset. Tonic similarly (and larger sham) returning baseline within 5 s, despite ongoing stimulation. Thus, both active closely resembled effect. There were no size, sustained size.ConclusionsThese results suggest that phasic- tonic-like standard parameters may modulate primarily mode as indexed by evoked dilation, above somatosensory effects. This result sheds light temporal profile with implications for their applicability further research.

Language: Английский

Citations

20

Stimulate to Remember? The Effects of Short Burst of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) on Memory Performance and Pupil Dilation DOI Creative Commons
Mareike Ludwig, Matthew J. Betts,

Dorothea Hämmerer

et al.

Psychophysiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 62(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT The decline in noradrenergic (NE) locus coeruleus (LC) function aging is thought to be implicated episodic memory decline. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), which supports LC function, might serve preserve or improve aging. However, taVNS effects are generally very heterogeneous, and it currently unclear whether has an effect on memory. In this study, emotional task with negative events involving the LC‐NE system was combined short burst of event‐related (3 s) younger adults ( N = 24). aim investigate taVNS‐induced changes pupil dilation during encoding possible improvements (emotional) performance for early delayed (24 h) recognition. Negative were associated increased better performance. Additionally, real as compared sham no selectively events. Short bursts stimulation, sham, led increase improvement over time, likely due attention‐inducing sensory modulation electrical stimulation.

Language: Английский

Citations

2

Does transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation alter pupil dilation? A living Bayesian meta-analysis DOI Creative Commons

Ipek Pervaz,

Lilly Thurn,

Cecilia Vezzani

et al.

Brain stimulation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 18(2), P. 148 - 157

Published: Jan. 29, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

2

A pooled analysis of the side effects of non-invasive Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) DOI Creative Commons
Manon Giraudier, Carlos Ventura‐Bort, Christoph Szeska

et al.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 19

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising technique for modulating vagal afferent fibers non-invasively and has shown therapeutic potential in neurological, cognitive, affective disorders. While previous research highlights its efficacy, the safety profile of taVNS been less extensively examined. This study therefore aimed to systematically investigate side effects large pooled dataset consisting n = 488 participants, utilizing standardized questionnaire assess ten reported effects. Analyses included type (interval vs. continuous), duration, intensity participant characteristics (age gender) as modulators. The findings support taVNS, with minimal mild across participants (M 1.86, SD 1.36). Although receiving sham were 32.4% likely report unpleasant feelings compared this effect was driven primarily by low-end ratings (specifically, rating 1, indicating not at all when experiencing corresponding effect), thus suggesting limited clinical relevance. Interval notably reduced likelihood some effects, particularly neck pain, dizziness feelings, optimizing protocols. Stimulation duration showed few statistically significant, but clinically (i.e., very small) Overall, these demonstrate favorable mostly transient supporting use suitable non-invasive tool both applications.

Language: Английский

Citations

2

Three Hundred Hertz Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) Impacts Pupil Size Non‐Linearly as a Function of Intensity DOI Creative Commons
Ian Phillips, Michael Johns, Nick B. Pandža

et al.

Psychophysiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 62(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a neuromodulatory technique that may have numerous potential health and human performance benefits. However, optimal parameters for maximizing taVNS efficacy are unknown. Progress impeded by disagreement on the identification of biomarker reliably indexes activation systems targeted taVNS, including locus coeruleus‐norepinephrine (LC‐NE) system. Pupil size varies with LC‐NE activity one has shown inconsistent sensitivity to in prior studies. The present study examined relationship between pupil using promising behavioral effects studies but received comparatively little attention. Participants trains 50 μs pulses delivered continuously below perceptual threshold at 300 Hz left external acoustic meatus (EAM) while was recorded during pupillary light reflex task. Analysis generalized additive mixed modeling (GAMM) revealed non‐linear intensity diameter. Active increased participants who 2 approximately 4.8 mA, not higher‐intensity (up 8.1 mA). In addition, persisted subsequent blocks, mitigating decreases over course These findings suggest activates system when applied EAM, its be counteracted higher intensities.

Language: Английский

Citations

2

Graded recruitment of pupil-linked neuromodulation by parametric stimulation of the vagus nerve DOI Creative Commons
Zakir Mridha, Jan Willem de Gee,

Yanchen Shi

et al.

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: March 9, 2021

Abstract Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is thought to affect neural activity by recruiting brain-wide release of neuromodulators. VNS used in treatment-resistant epilepsy, and increasingly being explored for other disorders, such as depression, a cognitive enhancer. However, the promise only partially fulfilled due lack mechanistic understanding transfer function between parameters neuromodulatory response, together with biosensors assaying efficacy real time. We here develop an approach head-fixed mice on treadmill show that pupil dilation reliable convenient biosensor VNS-evoked cortical neuromodulation. In ‘optimal’ zone parameters, current leakage off-target effects are minimized extent tracks basal-forebrain cholinergic axon neocortex. Thus, sensitive readout moment-by-moment, titratable brain state.

Language: Английский

Citations

89

When the Locus Coeruleus Speaks Up in Sleep: Recent Insights, Emerging Perspectives DOI Open Access
Alejandro Osorio-Forero, Najma Cherrad, Lila Banterle

et al.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 23(9), P. 5028 - 5028

Published: April 30, 2022

For decades, numerous seminal studies have built our understanding of the locus coeruleus (LC), vertebrate brain’s principal noradrenergic system. Containing a numerically small but broadly efferent cell population, LC provides brain-wide modulation that optimizes network function in context attentive and flexible interaction with sensory environment. This review turns attention to LC’s roles during sleep. We show these go beyond down-scaled versions ones wakefulness. Novel dynamic assessments noradrenaline signaling activity uncover rich diversity patterns establish as an integral portion sleep regulation function. The could be involved beneficial functions for sleeping brain, even minute alterations its functionality may prove quintessential disorders.

Language: Английский

Citations

63