Mechanism of Action
Vagus, the tenth cranial nerve, arises from the medulla and carries both afferent and efferent fibers. The afferent vagal fibers connect to the nucleus of the solitary tract which in turn projects connections to other locations in the central nervous system. Little is understood about exactly how vagal nerve stimulation modulates mood and seizure control but proposed mechanisms include alteration of norepinephrine release by projections of solitary tract to the locus coeruleus, elevated levels of inhibitory GABA related to vagal stimulation and inhibition of aberrant cortical activity by reticular system activation.
Randomized control trials indicated that thirty-percent of patients would have a greater than fifty-percent reduction of seizures. On average, about fifty-percent of patients experience a forty percent or greater reduction in seizure frequency and severity. About 75% of patients choose to have the battery replaced (continue with the therapy).
Read more about this topic: Vagus Nerve Stimulation
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