Stimulating the Vagus Nerve May Help With Stroke Recovery–Here’s How

Contact Your Elected Officials

The nervous system is highly adaptable, and with proper stimulation, recovery is more achievable than once thought.

Stephan Grady’s world turned upside down one day.

He woke up at 5 a.m. with what he thought was a cramp—it turned out to be a stroke.

Grady was taken to the hospital, paralyzed down his entire right side.

“I was in shock because I was so fit, and I kept thinking, ‘Why me?’” Grady told The Epoch Times.

“I didn’t want this life. I just wanted to be normal again. I wanted the old me back—playing football, golf, going to the gym with my wife, rushing around at 100 miles an hour, working, going on holidays together.”

A clinical trial using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) gave him hope. The transcutaneous limb recovery post-stroke (TRICEPS) trial, underway at King’s College Hospital in the UK, is a rigorous, multi-center study investigating whether a non-invasive technique, transcutaneous (through-the-skin) VNS, can improve hand and arm function in stroke survivors, when paired with rehabilitation therapy.

“I might get my arm and hand back to use functionally—so it’s not just hanging there,” said Grady.

Rethinking Stroke Recovery

Professor Arshad Majid, a consultant neurologist and chief investigator of the TRICEPS trial, had used VNS for years to treat epilepsy.

It later came to his attention that cardiologists were using VNS as part of active rehabilitation to help patients recover after heart attacks. Stroke recovery, in contrast, hadn’t taken the same proactive approach. Seeing how it was helping in cardiology sparked a new idea in Majid—maybe VNS could also support the brain’s recovery after a stroke by boosting its ability to rewire and heal.

The need for better solutions is clear. Many people who survive an ischemic stroke live with long-term disabilities, particularly in the arm, shoulder, hand, or wrist, referred to as upper extremity impairments. More than 60 percent of survivors face lasting challenges with movement, affecting daily activities and overall independence. Even five years post-stroke, about one in five report a very poor quality of life.

While intensive physical and occupational therapy can lead to improvements, sometimes even years after a stroke, most people hit a recovery plateau early. Progress tends to slow significantly after the first few months, and few treatments have delivered consistent, long-term benefits.

“If our new TRICEPS trial is successful, it will be the first large-scale, properly controlled evidence that vagus nerve stimulation makes a real difference in stroke recovery,” Majid told The Epoch Times.

Encouraging Results

Traditionally, vagus nerve stimulation involves surgically implanting a device in the neck, much like a pacemaker. But for stroke patients, many of whom are on blood thinners and at increased surgical risk, this isn’t ideal. Majid’s team turned to a less invasive option: transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), delivered via the ear.

The team began with a small pilot study, involving a dozen participants, paired tVNS with physical movement. After six weeks, the team observed improvements in patients’ arm weakness.

“There was a signal there,” Majid said. “We didn’t have a control group, but it gave us reason to be optimistic.”

“One participant, a boxing coach, couldn’t use his arm at the start of the study. Six weeks later, he was punching a bag again,” Majid said.

By Zena le Roux

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Chambers of Horror

Using a shutdown to legislate is like using a flame thrower to light a candle, it provides light momentarily but destroys everything in its path.

Government Shutdown, Health Care, Tax Breaks=Perfect Storm

The shutdown over cuts to health subsidies for the poor stems from Trump’s OBBB plan, which critics say funneled trillions to the wealthy.

3I/Atlas Comet or UFO Arrives Tomorrow!

The 3I/Atlas object is hurtling toward our solar system on a strange path and composition, set to pass behind the sun, obscuring visual and radio tracking.

‘I’d Be Finished’: Vaccine Researcher Trashes Own Study to Save Career

Most doctors comply with the system, following orders to keep their jobs, income, and prestige, even if it means setting aside independent judgment.

Kamala, Please Run Again

Kamala Harris hinted she wants to run for President in 2028, despite poor poll numbers and her loss in 2024. If she runs, the big winners will be the GOP.

San Jose Proclaims ‘Republic of China Day,’ Honors Taiwanese Community’s Contributions

San Jose declared Oct. 25 “Republic of China Day,” honoring the Taiwanese American community’s cultural and economic contributions to the city.

US Tightens Ban on Chinese Tech Gears

The United States has extended its ban on Chinese electronics to cover products partly made by companies blacklisted on national security grounds.

FDA Says It’s Eliminating Requirements for Generic Versions of Expensive Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration in draft guidance said it will reduce instances where large human trials are required for biosimilars.

Government Shutdown Could Cost US Economy $14 Billion: CBO

The government shutdown could cost the U.S. economy up to $14 billion, a new analysis by the CBO said on Oct. 29.

Trump, Japanese PM Sign Critical Minerals, Rare Earths Deal

The U.S. president visited Tokyo on the second leg...

Trump Hikes Canada’s Tariffs by 10 Percent for Not Pulling Anti-Tariff Ad Immediately

Trump announced he will increase tariffs on Canada by 10% after ad by provincial government of Ontario misrepresented President Reagan’s speech on tariffs.

Trump Rolls Back Emissions Rules on Copper Smelters

President Trump issued a proclamation aimed at reversing a Biden-era environmental rule that enforced stricter air emission standards on copper smelters.

Donor Gives $130 Million to Cover Shortfall in Troop Pay During Shutdown

Trump announced on Oct. 23 that an anonymous donor sent $130M to cover military pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central