Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Ameliorates Acute Ischemic Injury in Rats

摘要

Background: Direct stimulation of the vagus nerve in the neck via surgically implanted electrodes is protective in animal models of stroke. We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of a non-invasive cervical VNS (nVNS) method using surface electrodes applied to the skin overlying the vagus nerve in the neck in a model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).