All articles tagged with #vagus nerve
The article explores the role of the vagus nerve in stress and mental health, discussing various techniques and devices aimed at stimulating it to promote relaxation and emotional resilience, while highlighting the current scientific debate and personal success stories.
The FDA has approved a new neck implant that stimulates the vagus nerve to treat rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammation, offering a potential alternative for patients unresponsive to traditional drugs. The device delivers brief daily electrical pulses, is safe for most adults, and may help manage other inflammatory conditions in the future.
The FDA has approved a device that uses electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, offering a new treatment option for those unresponsive to drugs, with promising results including pain relief and improved mobility.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute and MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that blocking the right vagus nerve can prevent cachexia, a deadly syndrome causing severe weight and muscle loss in cancer patients, using existing clinical technologies, offering hope for improved treatments and patient outcomes.
New research suggests the existence of a 'neurobiotic sense' where gut bacteria communicate directly with the brain via the vagus nerve, influencing appetite and mood, which could have implications for understanding and treating eating disorders and obesity.
A study found that the connection between vagus nerve signals and food intake is stronger in higher socio-economic groups, suggesting that internal physiological cues influence eating behavior more in these populations, potentially contributing to health disparities.
Stimulating the vagus nerve may help reduce chronic inflammation and promote longevity. Dr. Kevin Tracey shares three practices—cold showers, regular exercise, and meditation—that he personally uses to activate his vagus nerve, although scientific proof for some methods remains limited. These activities could potentially support overall health by calming the nervous system and reducing inflammation, which is linked to many chronic diseases.
Researchers have developed a device that stimulates the vagus nerve to promote blood clotting, potentially reducing bleeding during surgeries. This technology, known as transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN), has shown promising results in early trials, suggesting a "neural tourniquet" effect. If further clinical trials confirm its efficacy, this non-invasive method could be used to prevent excessive bleeding in surgical patients, addressing a significant unmet need in medical procedures.
Researchers at Duke University have found that stimulating the vagus nerve can reduce gut inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by affecting SUMOylation, a process involved in immune response. This approach, which has shown promising results in mice, could lead to new therapies targeting inflammation directly, offering hope for the growing number of IBD patients worldwide. The study highlights the potential of bioelectronic medicine in managing chronic inflammatory conditions.
A bodybuilder from Houston underwent heart surgery after nearly dying from drinking cold water, which triggered his atrial fibrillation due to a rare genetic mutation affecting the vagus nerve. Franklin Aribeana's experience serves as a platform to raise awareness about the condition's subtle symptoms and the importance of paying attention to one's body, as he emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and treatment.
A 35-year-old bodybuilder from Texas suffered from heart failure triggered by drinking ice cold water after workouts, leading to more than a dozen hospital visits. Doctors traced the problem to the stimulation of the vagus nerve in his throat, causing erratic heartbeats. He underwent a procedure to cauterize the connection between the nerve and his heart, allowing him to now drink cold water without any issues. The condition was linked to his genetic heart condition, making atrial fibrillation more likely due to increased pressure on the heart.
A Houston man experienced heart issues triggered by drinking ice-cold water due to a genetic mutation causing atrial fibrillation. After years of emergency room visits and guesswork, he connected the dots and underwent surgery to cauterize the connection between the vagus nerve and heart, leading to a full recovery. His message to others is to pay attention to symptoms and seek medical help when needed.
Researchers have discovered distinct neural pathways in the gut-brain network for fat and sugar cravings, revealing that separate circuits in the vagus nerve communicate information about consumed fats and sugars to the brain, triggering dopamine release in the brain’s reward center. Activating both fat and sugar circuits simultaneously leads to an amplified dopamine release and overeating in mice. This discovery provides insights into why high-fat, high-sugar foods are irresistible and why dieting can be challenging, offering potential for developing anti-obesity strategies by targeting these gut-brain reward circuits.
The vagus nerve, responsible for relaxation and stress management, can be strengthened through simple exercises such as deep breathing, carotid sinus massage, and gargling. Chronic stress, aging, and unhealthy habits can weaken the vagus nerve, leading to symptoms like anxiety, exhaustion, and poor digestion. Strengthening the vagus nerve not only provides immediate benefits like tension relief and improved sleep, but also offers long-term protection against inflammation-related conditions. Other methods to activate the vagus nerve include cold exposure, positive thinking, and loving-kindness meditation.
New research has discovered a pathway between the heart and brain that can trigger fainting, providing an explanation for the phenomenon that affects about 40% of people at some point in their lives. The study found a group of nerve cells connecting the heart's ventricles with a small region of the brainstem, and when stimulated, mice experienced a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure, leading to fainting-like symptoms. This finding could potentially lead to new treatments for disorders that affect blood flow to the brain, including those associated with long COVID.