Optimization of respiratory-gated auricular vagus afferent nerve stimulation for the modulation of blood pressure in hypertension.

Background: The objective of this pilot study was to identify frequency-dependent effects of respiratory-gated auricular vagus afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) on the regulation of blood pressure and heart rate variability in hypertensive subjects and examine potential differential effects by sex/gender or race.

Methods: Twenty hypertensive subjects (54.55 ± 6.

Respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) modulates brain response to stress in major depression.

Background: Negative stress significantly impacts major depressive disorder (MDD), given the shared brain circuitry between the stress response and mood. Thus, interventions that target this circuitry will have an important impact on MDD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of a novel respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) technique in the modulation of brain activity and connectivity in women with MDD in response to negative stressful stimuli.

Modulatory Effects of Respiratory-Gated Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Cardiovagal Activity in Hypertension.

The objective of this study was to determine potential effects of Respiratory-gated Auricular Vagal Afferent Nerve Stimulation (RAVANS) on cardiac autonomic activity in hypertensive patients.20 hypertensive subjects (57.3±6.

Stimulus frequency modulates brainstem response to respiratory-gated transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.

Background: The therapeutic potential of transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) is currently being explored for numerous clinical applications. However, optimized response for different clinical indications may depend on specific neuromodulation parameters, and systematic assessments of their influence are still needed to optimize this promising approach.

Hypothesis: We proposed that stimulation frequency would have a significant effect on nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) functional MRI (fMRI) response to respiratory-gated taVNS (RAVANS).

Psychometric properties of the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale.

Although the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (RCBS; Cheek, 1983) is widely used, its psychometric properties largely are unknown. In this investigation, we examined the normative data, factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent/discriminant validity of the RCBS using a sample of 261 university students. Results provided strong support for the stability of normative data over time, reliability of the measure, and its predicted associations with contemporary measures of shyness, social anxiety, and related constructs.