Nerve stimulation 'eases symptoms' of chronic condition rheumatoid arthritis
Published 11 Jul 2016
Scientists believe stimulating the vagus nerve, which controls electrical signals to the stomach, heart and lungs, can significantly reduce pain and swelling caused by chronic joint inflammation.
The nerve can be stimulated with an electrical device surgically implanted into the body to send pulses through the vagus at various intervals.
Clinical trial data published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) revealed stimulating the vagus nerve with a bioelectronic device significantly improved the level of disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects millions people around the world and costs tens of billions of pounds a year to treat.
The findings, announced by the Academic Medical Centre at the University of Amsterdam, the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and SetPoint Medical, have shown nerve stimulation can reduce symptoms of RA, cytokine levels and inflammation by stimulating the nerve with a small implanted device.
Professor Paul-Peter Tak, lead author of the paper at the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, said: "This is the first study to evaluate whether stimulating the inflammatory reflex directly with an implanted electronic device can treat RA in
humans.
"We have previously shown that targeting the inflammatory reflex may reduce inflammation in animal models and in vitro models of RA.
"The direct correlation between vagus nerve stimulation and the suppression of several key cytokines like Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) as well as reduced RA signs and symptoms demonstrates proof of mechanism, which might be relevant for other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases as well."
While the trial focused on rheumatoid arthritis, experts have hypothesised the results may have implications for patients suffering from other inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and others.
Scientists said the findings indicate that active electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve inhibits TNF production in patients and significantly reduces the severity of the condition.
Anthony Arnold, chief executive officer of SetPoint Medical, said: "Our findings suggest a new approach to fighting diseases with bioelectronic medicines, which use electrical pulses to treat diseases currently treated with potent and relatively expensive drugs.
"These results support our ongoing development of bioelectronic medicines designed to improve the lives of people suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases and give healthcare providers new and potentially safer treatment alternatives at a much lower total cost for the healthcare system."
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