FENS 2022 | Vagus nerve stimulation in MS

Yaakov Levine, PhD, SetPoint Medical Corporation, Valencia, California, discusses the use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to attenuate demyelination and accelerate remyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS). The vagus nerve is a major constituent of a neural reflex mechanism—the inflammatory reflex—that controls innate immune responses and inflammation. Investigators have discovered that the innate immune pathways can be manipulated through electrical activation of the vagus nerve to turn down inflammation while maintaining immunosurveillance. Studies exploring VNS to treat rheumatoid arthritis and Chron’s disease have demonstrated promising results in humans. The following step is to investigate the therapeutic effects of VNS in MS. This interview took place during the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) 2022 Forum in Paris, France.