Electrocorticography Analysis in Patients With Dual Neurostimulators Supports Desynchronization as a Mechanism of Action for Acute Vagal Nerve Stimulator Stimulation
Lia D Ernst, Paul J Steffan, Priya Srikanth, Jack Wiedrick, David C Spencer, Proleta Datta, Navya M Joseph, Magda Wernovsky, Danielle A Becker
J Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Apr 7.
doi: 10.1097/WNP.0000000000000847
New clinical evidence supports #desynchronization as a mechanism of action for vagus nerve stimulation (#VNS) Therapy in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (#DRE).
The mechanism of action for VNS Therapy is not yet fully unraveled. However, previous studies suggest that acute stimulation of the vagal nerve may cause electroencephalography (#EEG) desynchronization, reducing seizure activity [1, 2]. This recent publication by Ernst et al. 2022 aimed to elucidate the effects of VNS on electrocorticography (#ECoG).
All patients were treated with dual #neurostimulation techniques (VNS in combination with neurostimulation, #RNS, systems). Hence, ECoG was recorded by the RNS systems, and the effect of VNS on the recordings was identified by comparing ECoG data in the presence or absence of acute VNS.
The study found that acute VNS resulted in desynchronization of alpha, beta and theta frequency bands, providing new evidence for desynchronization as a possible mechanism of action of VNS Therapy.
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