Effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on major depressive disorder: A nonrandomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Depression presents a significant burden to both patients and society. One treatment that has emerged is vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), an FDA-approved physical treatment for depressive disorders. However, the application of this intervention has been limited by the involvement of surgery and potential side effects.

Effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on impaired glucose tolerance: a pilot randomized study.

Background: Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is a pre-diabetic state of hyperglycemia that is associated with insulin resistance, increased risk of type II diabetes, and cardiovascular pathology. Recently, investigators hypothesized that decreased vagus nerve activity may be the underlying mechanism of metabolic syndrome including obesity, elevated glucose levels, and high blood pressure.

Methods: In this pilot randomized clinical trial, we compared the efficacy of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and sham taVNS on patients with IGT.

An alternative therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy: transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy. Acupuncture is also used to treat epilepsy. This study was designed to examine the safety and effectiveness of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (ta-VNS) for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.