An average patient may be forgiven for never having heard of the vagus nerve. It’s one of 12 pairs of nerves originating in the brain that fan out in the body helping trigger and regulate unvoluntary body functions.

Today, there are implantable devices called vagus nerve stimulators that send regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain through a device similar to a pacemaker. Recently, Vero News highlighted a new FDA-approved application for stroke recovery. Stimulation has been shown to help create new neural pathways in the brain as the patient performs exercises, helping a patient regain motor function faster than rehabilitation alone.

But Health First Neurologist Lina Rodriguez Rosario, MD, who has been plying vagus nerve stimulation in treating epilepsy in patients for many years, say the clinical applications of stimulation are numerous.

In addition to epilepsy, stimulation has been effective in treating depression and headaches. “It helps to reduce the need for pain medication … and because it’s FDA-approved, it’s covered by most insurance.”

READ the full health feature, and learn more about the vagus nerve, in Vero News HERE.