FENS 2022 | Vagus nerve stimulation reduces disease in rodent model of MS

Yaakov Levine, PhD, SetPoint Medical Corporation, Valencia, California, shares the results of a study investigating the effect of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on disease severity in a standard rodent model of multiple sclerosis (MS). VNS devices were implanted in the rats. Following recovery, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was induced. Seven days post-immunization, the day before the typical onset of clinical symptoms, the rats were treated with VNS until 21 days post-immunization. Results showed that VNS decreased disease burden compared to the sham treatment: AUC of clinical score vs. days post-immunization and maximum clinical score were significantly reduced, as well as the number of symptomatic days. Histological sections of the spinal cord at peak disease showed a restriction of immunocytes and fewer lesions within the VNS group than in the sham group. Additionally, VNS in this rodent model was comparable to treatment with teriflunomide. These results highlight the early potential for this non-pharmaceutical therapy as a novel approach for the treatment of MS. This interview took place during the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) 2022 Forum in Paris, France.