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Vagus nerve stimulation: indications and limitations

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Book cover Operative Neuromodulation

Part of the book series: Acta Neurochirurgica Supplements ((NEUROCHIRURGICA,volume 97/2))

Abstract

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an established treatment for selected patients with medically refractory seizures. Recent studies suggest that VNS could be potentially useful in the treatment of resistant depressive disorder. Although a surgical procedure is required in order to implant the VNS device, the possibility of a long-term benefit largely free of severe side effects could give VNS a privileged place in the management of resistant depression. In addition, VNS appears to affect pain perception in depressed adults; a possible role of VNS in the treatment of severe refractory headache, intractable chronic migraine and cluster headache has also been suggested. VNS is currently investigated in clinical studies, as a potential treatment for essential tremor, cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorders, and bulimia. Finally, other studies explore the potential use of VNS in the treatment of resistant obesity, addictions, sleep disorders, narcolepsy, coma and memory and learning deficits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, P.O. Box 7897, Riyadh, 11159, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Sohail Ansari, K. Chaudhri & K. Al Moutaery

Authors
  1. Sohail Ansari
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  2. K. Chaudhri
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  3. K. Al Moutaery
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sohail Ansari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Damianos E. Sakas

  2. University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK

    Brian A. Simpson

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag

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Ansari, S., Chaudhri, K., Al Moutaery, K. (2007). Vagus nerve stimulation: indications and limitations. In: Sakas, D.E., Simpson, B.A. (eds) Operative Neuromodulation. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplements, vol 97/2. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-33081-4_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-33081-4_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-33080-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-33081-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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