Can We Predict Treatment Success in tVNS?

Predicting Treatment Success
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) has recently emerged as a promising treatment for depression and an effective mood enhancer, showing benefits over similar treatments including traditional vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) which is invasive and costly.

tVNS targets the auricular branch of the vagus nerve and works by applying a small electrical stimulation to the outer ear. The new non-invasive method has been shown to be effective in multiple clinical trials, but the technology could benefit from further optimisation of the treatment protocol. In particular, a clearer understanding of the changes in brain structures that could predict treatment success.

Previous studies have reliably demonstrated the involvement of the insula as well as the thalamus and hippocampus. However, there is still room to further ascertain the relationship between brain region activation/deactivation by tVNS and treatment for depression.