Vagus nerve stimulation as immunomodulatory therapy for stroke: A comprehensive review

Exp Neurol. 2023 Nov 30:114628. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114628. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTStroke is a devastating cerebrovascular pathology with high morbidity and mortality. Inflammation plays a central role in the pathophysiology of stroke. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising immunomodulatory method that has shown positive effects in stroke treatment, including neuroprotection, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, reduced infarct volume, improved neurological scores, and promotion of M2 microglial polarization. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the vagus nerve's immunomodulatory effects through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) and provide a comprehensive assessment of the available experimental literature focusing on the use of VNS in stroke treatment.PMID:38042360 | DOI:10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114628
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Source Type: research