Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) shows promise as a new treatment avenue for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. This approach uses implanted devices to send small electrical pulses, potentially augmenting or replacing conventional immune-suppressing drugs that carry high costs and side effects. Experts, including Dr. Kevin Tracey and Dr. Andrew Ko, are optimistic, yet research is ongoing to compare the efficacy of VNS against traditional therapies. With the FDA reviewing a device by SetPoint Medical, rheumatoid arthritis may lead the way for this innovative method.
Neural signals have the ability to reflexively control aspects of the immune system that frankly, nobody had thought about before.
In those cases, there are some benefits to looking at devices.
Drugs work, but they sometimes don't, and you can have side effects.
Rheumatoid arthritis is poised to become the first autoimmune disease treated with electrical pulses sent through the vagus nerve.
#vagus-nerve-stimulation #autoimmune-diseases #rheumatoid-arthritis #setpoint-medical #neuromodulation
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