Acute Effects of Vagal Neuromodulation Approaches in Healthy Individuals

Berkay Eren PEHLİVANOĞLUa , Alper PERÇİNb

aBahçeşehir University Faculty of Health Sciences, Deparment of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, İstanbul, Türkiye
bIğdır University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Iğdır, Türkiye

ABSTRACT
The acute effects of vagal neuromodulation approaches in healthy individuals play an important role in regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and maintaining overall body homeostasis. The vagus nerve (VN) is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Different neuromodulation techniques can produce different acute effects by modulating the activity of the VN. Vagal neuromodulation has been shown to be effective on heart rate, blood pressure and autonomic functions. The use of these approaches may have beneficial effects on stress management, mood regulation and modulation of inflammatory responses. Studies in healthy individuals show that vagal neuromodulation has rapid and transient effects, with the potential to improve autonomic balance and enhance stress coping mechanisms. Heart rate variability, pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, stress and anxiety, anti-inflammatory effects, gastrointestinal effects and autonomic reflex control can be listed as specific mechanisms that can be regulated by vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). The aim of this study is to compile the data in the literature on the applicability of the acute effects of VNS in healthy individuals and to pioneer new studies to be designed.
Keywords: Vagus nerve; vagus nerve stimulation; neural inhibitions

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