Feinstein Researchers Demonstrate Long-Term VNS on Mice

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health presented data showing the effective use of a long-term vagus nerve implant in mice at the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) 2020 Conference in Las Vegas. Previous preclinical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) studies have been limited to short-term stimulation - a timeframe of minutes to hours - due to the surgical and technological challenges of implanting a stimulator small enough to fit a mouse nerve. In order to conduct mouse studies lasting weeks or even months, Feinstein Institutes researchers, led by Stavros Zanos, PhD, MD, assistant professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, developed new techniques to deliver long-term electrical stimulation in mice, an approach that may become the standard for bioelectronic medicine research conducted around the world. “The ability to chronically stimulate the vagus nerve through a permanent implant has not been reported before in mice,” said Feinstein Institutes researcher Ibrahim Mughrabi, MD, PhD, who presented the data at NANS. “We are eager to continue to advance this new approach and look forward to the positive impact this implant will have on future bioelectronic research around the globe.” In the study, a commercial bipolar cuff electrode was implanted around the left cervical vagus nerve of mice. The electrode functionality was evaluated over up to 90 days after impla...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Implants R & D Source Type: news