Mechanisms underpinning sympathetic nervous activity and its modulation using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation

Abstract

The autonomic nervous system, consisting of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, is a major contributor to maintaining cardiovascular variables within homeostatic limits. As we age or in certain pathological conditions, the balance between the two branches changes such that sympathetic activity is more dominant and this change in dominance negatively correlates with prognosis in conditions such as heart failure. We have shown that non-invasive stimulation of the tragus of the ear increases parasympathetic activity and reduces sympathetic activity and that extent of this effect is correlated with the baseline cardiovascular parameters of different subjects. The effects could be due to activation of the afferent branch of the vagus and potentially other sensory nerves in that region. This indicates that tragus stimulation may be a viable treatment in disorders where autonomic activity to the heart is compromised.

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