Therapeutic applications of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation with potential for application in neurodevelopmental or other pediatric disorders.

Abstract

Non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) as a newly developed technique involves stimulating the cutaneous receptive field formed by the auricular branch of the vagus nerve in the outer ear, with resulting activation of vagal connections to central and peripheral nervous systems. Increasing evidence indicates that maladaptive neural plasticity may underlie the pathology of several pediatric neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, disruptive behavioral disorder and stress-related disorder. Vagal stimulation may therefore provide a useful intervention for treating maladaptive neural plasticity. In the current review we summarize the current literature primarily on therapeutic use in adults and discuss the prospects of applying taVNS as a therapeutic intervention in specific pediatric neurodevelopmental and other psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, we also briefly discuss factors that would help optimize taVNS protocols in future clinical applications. We conclude from these initial findings that taVNS may be a promising alternative treatment for pediatric disorders which do not respond to other interventions.