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Updated: Oct 13, 2025
Laboratory Administration of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation taVNS: Technique, Targeting, and Considerations
Published on: January 7, 2019
Current challenges in reliably targeting the noradrenergic locus coeruleus using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve
Mareike Ludwig1, Christian Wienke2, Matthew J Betts3
1Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), as a non-invasive brain stimulation technique may influence the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE system) via modulation of the Vagus Nerve (VN) which projects to the LC. Few human studies exist examining the effects of taVNS on the LC-NE system and studies to date assessing the ability of taVNS to target the LC yield heterogeneous results. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the current challenges in assessing effects of taVNS on LC function and how translational approaches spanning animal and human research can help in this regard. A particular emphasis of the review discusses how the effects of taVNS may be influenced by changes in structure and function of the LC-NE system across the human lifespan and in disease.
