Effective weight control via an implanted self-powered vagus nerve stimulation device.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Obesity is a major global health concern requiring innovative treatment strategies.
• Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) shows potential for regulating appetite and managing weight.
• Current VNS systems often require batteries and external power sources, limiting their long-term application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel, battery-free, self-responsive vagus nerve stimulation system for obesity treatment.
• To investigate the efficacy of stomach movement-triggered VNS in reducing food intake and body weight.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using a nanogenerator-based system for targeted organ stimulation.

Main Methods:

• An implantable, flexible, and biocompatible nanogenerator was designed and attached to the stomach surface.
• The nanogenerator harvests energy from stomach peristalsis to produce biphasic electrical pulses.
• These pulses stimulate vagal afferent fibers, aiming to modulate appetite signals.

Main Results:

• The system successfully generated electrical pulses in response to stomach movements in vivo.
• Vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduced food intake and led to effective weight control in rat models.
• Average body weight was reduced by 38% compared to control groups within 100 days.

Conclusions:

• This self-responsive, battery-free VNS system offers a promising, minimally invasive approach for obesity management.
• The study highlights the potential of integrating mechanical energy harvesting with neural stimulation for targeted therapeutic applications.
• This technology provides a novel concept for artificial nerve signal generation driven by physiological body activities.