Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a medical treatment that delivers electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, typically through a surgically implanted electrode. It is used as an adjunct treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy, cluster headaches, migraine, treatment-resistant depression and stroke rehabilitation, and non-invasive delivery through the skin is being investigated in clinical research.
Facts
Origin YearSourced to the subject's own account Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagus_nerve_stimulation, lead sectionQuote, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagus_nerve_stimulation, lead section
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a medical treatment that involves delivering electrical impulses to the vagus nerve.
2. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory, 1980s - use for epilepsy subsectionQuote, History, 1980s - use for epilepsy subsection
The first human was implanted with a VNS for the treatment of epilepsy in 1988.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which conditions is vagus nerve stimulation used to treat?
Drug-resistant epilepsy, cluster headache, migraine, treatment-resistant depression and stroke rehabilitation.
Invasive VNS is used as an adjunct treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy, cluster headaches, migraine, treatment-resistant depression and stroke rehabilitation. In the United States it is approved as adjunctive therapy for those 4 years of age or older with refractory focal onset seizures. This record describes what the sources state and is not medical advice.
How well does vagus nerve stimulation work for epilepsy?
An average 51% seizure reduction after one year in a meta-analysis of 74 studies.
A meta-analysis of 74 clinical studies with 3321 patients found that VNS produced an average 51% reduction in seizures after 1 year of therapy. Approximately 50% of patients had an equal to or greater than 50% reduction in seizures at the time of last follow-up, and approximately 8% have total resolution of seizures. Long-term studies have shown that response to VNS increases over time. This record describes what the sources state and is not medical advice.
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