Work

Awakening the Vagus: Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation—A Narrative Review

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Disorders of consciousness (DoC), including unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state (UWS/VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), remain a major challenge in clinical neurology. Therapeutic options are limited, and prognosis is often uncertain. Transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (taVNS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that has gained increasing interest as a potential strategy to promote recovery of consciousness. This narrative review summarizes the anatomical and functional rationale of taVNS, compares invasive and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation techniques, reviews the biological mechanisms underlying its effects, discusses established clinical applications, technological innovations, and available clinical trial evidence. Current data suggest that taVNS is safe and well-tolerated, with preliminary evidence of applicability in DoC, particularly in patients with MCS. However, heterogeneity in stimulation protocols and the limited number of large-scale randomized controlled trials highlight the need for further standardized research.

Source: Brain Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/brainsci16090979

Authors: Lara Portincaso, Gaia Santi, Nicole Villa, Davide Di Pietro

Institution: Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri

Language: English

Topic: Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654