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new treatments in the future. blocking TNF thru the vagus nerve

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/26/2014 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
This experimental treatment blocks TNF by stimulating the vagus nerve.

www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/magazine/can-the-nervous-system-be-hacked.html?rref=magazine

So don't give up hope.

BTW, if your IP gets blocked by the NYTimes, just use Chrome to open the article in an incognito window.
Posted 5/26/2014 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
very interesting
Posted 5/26/2014 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
I like the idea of working the vagus nerve for reducing inflammation.

Saw an interesting TED talk a while back that essentially linked a defunct microbiome to a malfunctioning vagus nerve. A malfunctioning vagus nerve is also indicated in many disorders, including autism.

Here's a study showing stimulation of the vagus nerve mitigating autism and epilepsy symptoms.

It's worth noting that yoga has some poses that really work the vagus nerve. Anyone familiar with Ari Meisel's popular TED talk? He nearly died from crohn's disease and credits yoga (among other things) in helping him reach remission.
Posted 5/27/2014 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
I am very interested in the vagus nerve research too. I think I've posted before that there is a clinical trial ongoing in France for VN stimulation for Crohn's.
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01569503 Looking forward to hearing about the outcomes

I first came across it though in reading Stephen Porges's work about VN and PTSD
stephenporges.com/index.php/scientific-articles/scientific-articles/publicationss/3-the-polyvagal-perspective
which is interesting when you think that people who have experienced childhood trauma appear to be susceptible to fibromyalgia and that is another inflammation (although low level) related condition that VN stimulation can help (although nowhere near universally according to studies I have read)
Posted 5/27/2014 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
London,
thanks for that link on Stephen Porges. At first I couldn't find more info but finally found it here:
stephenporges.com/images/nicabm2.pdf

The vagus nerve seems like it's going to be the future focus of a lot of study. I'll try to change the title of this thread to include "vagus" for clarification.
Posted 5/27/2014 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Really cool article. Makes you believe that a really effective treatment for UC could happen any time.
Posted 5/31/2014 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
I used to work with Developmentally Disabled individuals with uncontrolled Epilepsy..one treatment they used was the VNS, which was placed just below the skin. If the individual went into a seizure, we swiped a magnet across the implanted Vagal Nerve Stimulator and it interrupted the seizure activity. It worked quite well for most...using it for UC is quite exciting!!
Posted 6/1/2014 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
This is amazing...hope!
Posted 6/1/2014 1:56 AM (GMT 0)

upstategal said...
I used to work with Developmentally Disabled individuals with uncontrolled Epilepsy..one treatment they used was the VNS, which was placed just below the skin. If the individual went into a seizure, we swiped a magnet across the implanted Vagal Nerve Stimulator and it interrupted the seizure activity. It worked quite well for most...using it for UC is quite exciting!!

That is fascinating
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