Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
06:43
Increased Recovery Time and Decreased LPS Administration to Study the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Mechanisms in Limited Inflammatory Responses
Published on: March 29, 2017
10.4K
Closed-Loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation Delivered With a Miniaturized System Produces Lasting Recovery in Individuals
Seth A Hays1,2, Emmanuel A Adehunoluwa2,3, Joseph D Epperson2
1Department of Bioengineering, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science (S.A.H., E.C.M.), University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson.
Stroke
|October 7, 2025
Summary
A new miniaturized vagus nerve stimulation system (CLV) shows promise for improving upper limb function after stroke. This closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation therapy is safe and effective, warranting further investigation in larger trials.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Task-oriented training combined with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is FDA-approved for chronic stroke upper limb recovery.
- Conventional VNS systems, unchanged since 1997, present an opportunity for technological advancement.
- A novel miniaturized system for closed-loop vagus nerve stimulation (CLV) therapy has been developed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety, feasibility, and initial effectiveness of a new miniaturized CLV system.
- To assess the performance of CLV during personalized rehabilitation sessions.
- To compare CLV with sham stimulation in a randomized, sham-controlled trial.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, sham-controlled trial involving 19 participants with chronic stroke and upper limb deficits.
- Participants received 18 sessions of rehabilitation with either active CLV or sham stimulation, followed by 18 sessions of active CLV.
- An exploratory extension phase included up to 100 additional self-paced CLV sessions at home.
Main Results:
- Adverse event rates were similar to or lower than conventional VNS devices; heart rate and blood pressure remained unaffected.
- Participants showed significant improvements in upper extremity Fugl-Meyer scores by 5.3 points post-randomized controlled trial phase (P<0.001).
- Further improvements of 10.9 points were observed after the exploratory extension phase (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- The miniaturized CLV system is safe and feasible for stroke rehabilitation.
- CLV therapy significantly improves upper limb motor function in individuals with chronic stroke.
- The developed CLV system warrants evaluation in larger-scale clinical studies.
