Transauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) enhances Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) in healthy subjects: A randomized controlled trial

Vagal Nerve Stimulation is a novel proposed treatment for pain. Originally approved as a cervical implant for epilepsy and depression, non-invasive VNS devices offer greater accessibility, and reduced side effects in comparison to the invasive VNS [1]. Transauricular VNS stimulates the auricular branch of the vagal nerve (ABVN) which is directly connected to the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the medulla, from where projects to the hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, releasing dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine and, consequently, modulating pain response [1].