Books & Publications

Contents:

• Acute Effects of Vagal Neuromodulation Approaches in Healthy Individuals

• A Review on the Effect of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Brain Frequency Bands

• The Effect of Bilateral Transcutenous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Working Memory and Neuropsychiatric Profile

• The Impact of the Vagus Nerve on Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Conditions in Connection with the Oral and Intestinal Microbiome

• Effects of Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Behavioral, Physiological, and Neural Responses to Food in Humans: A Traditional Review

• The Effects of Diet Content on the Vagus Nerve

• Personalized Auricular Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation System for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

• Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Pregnancy

• Nursing Roles and Responsibilities in Vagus Nerve Stimulation

• Vagus Nerve Stimulation in School Nurses’ Epilepsy Management: Why is it Necessary to Know?

• The Role of the Vagus Nerve in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract: The autonomic nervous system in our body adapts to changes in the internal and external environment and controls vital structures such as the heart, vessels, intestines, and reproductive organs in our body. It mainly consists of two components: the sympathetic system, which causes the “fight or flight” response, especially in the presence of danger, a threat or in a state of panic, etc.; and the parasympathetic nervous system, whose intrinsic properties shortly referred to as “rest and digest” help to calm down the body, allow growth and development and lower the level of stress.

As the stress factors in our routine life rise, the autonomic nervous system dysfunction may cause numerous disorders and diseases including depression, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, sleep problems, cardiac problems, and etc. Understanding the autonomic nervous system and its dysfunctions will actually increase your awareness with regard to these problems, and potential solutions.

Author: Ali Veysel Özden, M.D., Ph.D.

Abstract: Although vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is nowadays frequently used in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders including epilepsy, depression, and chronic pain such as migraine, an increasing number of studies mention its peripheral effects. Central effects of VNS as a cranial neuromodulation method can be prioritized, but it can cause physiological changes in many peripheral organs as well by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity modification. It can be argued that the peripheral effects of VNS can occur through many mechanisms such as reducing hyperinflammation, regulating circulation, determining the level of muscle tone, and controlling endocrine and exocrine secretions. In addition, the role of the vagus nerve on the gut-brain axis should always be kept in mind. However, the wide distribution of the vagus nerve and its extensive connections including those in the central nervous system complicate our understanding of its peripheral effects. VNS appears to have effects on the body (metabolism, neuronal activity, immune status, etc.) but we need more randomized placebo-controlled studies to fully understand and demonstrate the effects of VNS on peripheral targets. Biofeedback systems can be useful both for testing different stimulation parameters and for better understanding of peripheral effects.