Clinical Studies

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a treatment option for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and depression. Due to positive experiences with implantable systems and the limitations of their application, research on transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) began 20 years ago. As external stimulation is non-invasive and therefore does not entail the numerous side effects associated with invasive VNS, the field of tVNS is rapidly expanding. tVNS is easily accessible and more cost-effective, providing broader usage opportunities compared to traditional VNS. However, the transcutaneous stimulation of the outer ear raises new questions about the physiology of transcutaneous auricular VNS, the optimal stimulation area, and stimulus parameters. Additionally, the therapeutic options and realistically achievable goals of tVNS need further exploration.

Over the past 20 years, fundamental and clinical research has addressed some of these questions and increased our understanding of the physiological effects of tVNS. The number of publications continues to grow rapidly in recent years. Beyond the treatment of epilepsy and depression, topics such as neural plasticity, inflammation, HRV, and therapeutic indications are expanding and continue to be explored.

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