Increase in 20–50 Hz (gamma frequencies) power spectrum and synchronization after chronic vagal nerve stimulation

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 116; no. 9; pp. 2026 - 2036
• Main Authors: Marrosu, F., Santoni, F., Puligheddu, M., Barberini, L., Maleci, A., Ennas, F., Mascia, M., Zanetti, G., Tuveri, A., Biggio, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.09.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cortical Synchronization; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Digital EEG; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Electrodes, Implanted; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy - physiopathology; Epilepsy - therapy; Female; Gamma activity; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Intra–inter hemispheric synchronization analysis; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Partial epilepsy; Power spectrum frequency analysis; Telemetry; Vagus Nerve - physiology; Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS); Gamma activity; Digital EEG; Power spectrum frequency analysis; Intra–inter hemispheric synchronization analysis; Partial epilepsy; Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS); Human; Nervous system diseases; Intra-inter hemispheric synchronization analysis; Epilepsy; Electrophysiology; Electroencephalography; Digital recording; Synchronization; Cerebral disorder; Chronic; Animal activity; Modulation; Central nervous system disease; Burst; Frequency spectrum; Vagus nerve; Mechanism of action; Performance; Power spectrum

Though vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an important option in pharmacoresistant epilepsy, its mechanism of action remains unclear. The observation that VNS desynchronised the EEG activity in animals suggested that this mechanism could be involved in VNS antiepileptic effects in humans. Indeed VNS d...