Brief periods of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improve autonomic balance and alter circulating monocytes and endothelial cells in patients with metabolic syndrome: a pilot study.

Background: There is emerging evidence that the nervous system regulates immune and metabolic alterations mediating Metabolic syndrome (MetS) pathogenesis via the vagus nerve. This study evaluated the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (TAVNS) on key cardiovascular and inflammatory components of MetS.

Methods: We conducted an open label, randomized (2:1), two-arm, parallel-group controlled trial in MetS patients.

Additional Improvement of Respiratory Technique on Vascular Function in Hypertensive Postmenopausal Women Following Yoga or Stretching Video Classes: The YOGINI Study.

Hypertension remains highly prevalent in postmenopausal women, along with vascular dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. In such context, regular exercises, yoga practice, and slow breathing have been recommended to treat hypertension. However, the effects of the multiple components of yoga, including the respiratory techniques involved in the practice, on hypertension and on vascular and endothelial function have never been evaluated.

Cardiac and Peripheral Autonomic Responses to Orthostatic Stress During Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Healthy Subjects.

Previous studies showed that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) modulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in resting condition. However, the autonomic regulation in response to an orthostatic challenge during tVNS in healthy subjects remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that tVNS reduces heart rate (HR) and alters the responsivity of ANS to orthostatic stress in healthy subjects.

Optimization of Vagal Stimulation Protocol Based on Spontaneous Breathing Rate.

Controlled breathing maneuver is being widely applied for cardiovascular autonomic control evaluation and cardiac vagal activation through reduction of breathing rate (BR). However, this maneuver presented contradictory results depending on the protocol and the chosen BR. These variations may be related to the individual intrinsic profile baseline sympathetic tonus, as described before by others.