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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Implantation Surgery for Abdominal Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Recording Studies in Awake Rats
Published on: January 19, 2024
Induction of central-type sleep apnea by vagus nerve stimulation
S S Papacostas1, P Myrianthopoulou, A Dietis
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus. savvas@cing.ac.cy
Abstract:
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an acceptable and effective adjunctive therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. It is generally well tolerated and the most frequent side effects reported include respiratory dysfunction. We report the case of a female patient with intractable epilepsy who was implanted with the device and achieved a significant reduction in the number of her seizures. However, she developed central-type sleep apnea documented polysomnographically. Upon reduction of her VNS parameters, the apnea resolved and her sleep study reverted to normal. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported with polysomnographic evidence of VNS induction of central-type sleep apnea.
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