Vagus Nerve Stimulation

The FDA has granted breakthrough device designation to electroCore Inc. for its gammaCore device to be used in the treatment of PTSD in military personnel, according to a company release.

Research continues to suggest that vagus nerve stimulation may become an “exciting alternative” treatment for those with rheumatoid arthritis, according to Mark C. Genovese, MD.

The FDA approved the Vivistim System, a drug-free rehabilitation system using vagus nerve stimulation for treating moderate and severe upper extremity mobility loss caused by chronic ischemic stroke.

The FDA granted 510(k) clearance to electroCore to expand the approval of gammaCore, the company’s non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation, for the acute and preventative treatment of adolescent migraine, according to a press release.

Daily stimulation of the vagus nerve yielded quantifiable improvement in disease activity in a small cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, bringing this approach closer to becoming a therapeutic reality, according to a presenter at the 2020 Interdisciplinary Autoimmune Summit.

The word “vagus” comes from the Latin “to wander.” Accordingly, the vagus nerve takes a meandering path through the body, impacting everything from digestion to immunity. As understanding of this pathway grew, clinicians and researchers saw it as a potential therapeutic target. The mental health community capitalized first, using vagus nerve stimulation as a staple of epilepsy and depression treatment for decades.