Vagal nerve stimulation for the reduction of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease

Auricular vagal nerve stimulation (AVNS) may be an effective therapeutic method to reduce cognitive impairment in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), results of a randomised-controlled trial showed.

Dr Adam Broncel (Neuromedical, Poland) presented a randomised, double-blind study that compared AVNS with placebo in patients with MCI due to AD (n=60) [1]. Participants in the experimental arm received AVNS during their sleep for 6 months. The main outcome of the study was the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS)-Cog score change from baseline at week 12.

After 12 weeks of therapy, the authors found a significant benefit of AVNS on ADAS-Cog score as compared with placebo (P<0.0001). Participants in the experimental arm displayed a median improvement of -7.0 points whereas participants in the placebo arm did not have an improvement in their ADAS-Cog score. The changes in Verbal Memory Probing (VMP) score from baseline showed a favourable effect of AVNS as well. “After 26 weeks of treatment, we noticed that the treatment effect of AVNS on the ADAS-Cog score was even larger, with a median improvement of -9.5 points from baseline,” Dr Broncel mentioned.

The study showed that AVNS may be an effective method for the treatment of cognitive impairment in patients with MCI due to AD. “Its safety and ease-of-use add to the applicability of AVNS,” concluded Dr Broncel.

1. Broncel A, et al. Auricular vagal nerve stimulation in patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease. 10th EAN Congress, 29 June–2 July 2024, Helsinki, Finland.

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Posted on 25 July 2024