AUTHOR=Lehnertz Hendrik , Broehl Timo , Rings Thorsten , von Wrede Randi , Lehnertz Klaus 

TITLE=Modifying functional brain networks in focal epilepsy by manual visceral-osteopathic stimulation of the vagus nerve at the abdomen

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Network Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 3 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/network-physiology/articles/10.3389/fnetp.2023.1205476

DOI=10.3389/fnetp.2023.1205476

ISSN=2674-0109

ABSTRACT=Non-invasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation elicits therapeutic effects similar to those produced by invasive vagus nerve stimulation and is thus considered as a potential supplementary treatment option for a wide range of diseases, including epilepsy.
Here, we present an alternative, non-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve, which is performed manually viscero-osteopathically on the abdomen (voVNS). 
We investigate the impact of short-term voVNS on various local and global characteristics of EEG-derived, large-scale evolving functional brain networks from a group of 20 subjects with and without epilepsy.
We observe differential voVNS-mediated alterations of these characteristics that result in a reconfiguration of networks and a modification of their stability and robustness properties.
Although the impact of such a non-pharmaceutical intervention on clinical decision-making in the treatment of epilepsy needs to be assessed in future studies, our findings may add to the current discussion on the importance of the gut-brain axis in health and disease.