The handheld device, developed by electroCore, stimulates the vagus nerve, which could trigger the release of dopamine and naturally occurring opioids in the brain. The company says its new device would treat conditions related to insufficient dopamine and endogenous opioids, such as Parkinson's Disease, depression, and chronic pain.
Dopamine is a "feel good" neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a role in motivation and feelings of reward. It's also involved in pain processing, sleep, movement, and other body functions.
Other critical components of the nervous system are endogenous opioids and their receptors. They are found primarily in the nervous system, especially in brain regions associated with pain regulation, emotion, and motivation. Endogenous opioids are also linked to addictive behaviors, as they are involved in the reward response to drugs or alcohol.
Low dopamine or an altered endogenous opioid system is associated with a range of health conditions, including Parkinson's Disease, depression, chronic pain, and anxiety.
Some research suggests that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have lower dopamine levels than those without the condition. Moreover, people with opioid use disorder (OUD) may have dysregulated endogenous opioid levels in the nervous system.
Treating dopamine and endogenous opioid-related conditions can be challenging. Medications such as norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) can help stabilize dopamine levels in people with conditions such as depression or anxiety, but they can also cause side effects.
Moreover, treating conditions linked to low endogenous opioid levels, like chronic pain, can be difficult since it requires several diagnostic approaches and management strategies.
However, a recently patented vagal nerve-stimulating device from electroCore, a neuroscience and technology company, claims to have the potential to offer an alternative treatment option for people with conditions associated with low levels of dopamine and endogenous opioids.
The company has already developed other vagal nerve stimulator products, including gammaCore, a device to treat the acute pain associated with migraine and cluster headaches, truvaga 350 and truvaga plus, devices designed to enhance mental clarity and overall health, and TAC-STIM, a vagal nerve stimulating device developed for military use.
Support your mental health with a vagus nerve stimulation device!
How does the new vagal nerve stimulator work?
According to the patent documents, the new handheld device stimulates the vagus nerve via one or more electrodes connected to an energy source within the device. The person using the device would hold it on the skin's surface near the vagus nerve, located on the side of the neck.
Once activated, the new device would generate electrical impulses to trigger the vagus nerve, potentially leading to the release of dopamine and endogenous opioids in the brain.
This method is referred to as transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation, and it differs from invasive vagal nerve stimulation, which involves surgically implanting electrodes on the cranial nerve and connecting them to a small generator in the chest.
Can vagal nerve stimulation treat dopamine or endogenous opioid-related conditions?
Philip M. McCarthy, D.O., a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist at Corewell Health, tells Healthnews that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved implantable vagal nerve stimulation devices for treatment-resistant epilepsy and depression in people over 12. However, McCarthy says there may be other conditions where vagal nerve stimulation may be beneficial, including migraines.
"At this time, there is no indication for vagal nerve stimulation in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease or mental health disorders related to reduced dopamine levels," McCarthy adds. "The effect of vagal nerve stimulation on dopamine is undetermined, [and] further investigation is required to make a definitive determination."
Still, McCarthy notes that when the vagal nerve is stimulated, these signals travel back along the nerve to the brainstem and then to the hypothalamus and thalamus, where experts believe it has the potential to trigger a myriad of effects throughout the brain.
Are transcutaneous stimulation devices effective?
In 2017, the FDA released electroCore's gammaCore device for treating pain associated with migraine and episodic cluster headaches in adults. So, the technology is already available for individuals with these conditions. However, McCarthy tells Healthnews that these devices may have limitations.
"I believe transcutaneous stimulation devices may be an option for patients who do not wish to have a vagal nerve stimulator implanted surgically," McCarthy explains. "However, the reliability of transcutaneous stimulation devices for the vagus nerve is unproven."
McCarthy says one factor that might limit the device's therapeutic benefits is a person's body size and physique, which could impede the electrical stimulation from reaching the vagus nerve.
"Another limiting factor is the patient's pain tolerance/threshold as the device needs to stimulate past skin, muscle, and fascia with pain receptors," McCarthy explains.
Moreover, a person's willingness to use a transcutaneous device could limit potential benefits.
"[Transcutaneous stimulation devices] may be more of an option for patients who are trying to aid in relief from migraines, as continuous stimulation may not be needed," McCarthy adds. "However, the effectiveness is unknown."
Research is promising
In a recent pilot study, researchers used the gammaCore device or sham stimulation to treat a small group of participants with Parkinson's disease. The findings suggested that a single treatment with transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation improved dopa-resistant gait characteristics associated with the condition.
The team is conducting a follow-up study investigating the safety and effectiveness of repeated and sustained transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation in people with Parkinson's.
Moreover, research published in 2023 found evidence that non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation may reduce symptoms of opioid withdrawal in people with OUD.
In addition, research investigating the impact of transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation on pain found that the technology could reduce pain processing responses and perception.
Healthnews reached out to electroCore about its new device and is awaiting a response. So, it's unclear whether and when the patent will lead to a new FDA-approved medical device for individuals with specific dopamine or endogenous opioid-related diseases or medical conditions.
8 resources
- NIH. Biochemistry, endogenous opioids.
- theBMJ. Challenges of managing chronic pain.
- PatentGuru. Vagal nerve stimulation for treating dopamine-related conditions.
- electroCore. FDA releases gammaCore®, the first non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy applied at the neck for acute treatment of pain associated with episodic cluster headache in adult patients.
- Movement Disorders. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation to target gait impairment in Parkinson's disease.
- BMC Neurology. Safety and tolerability of adjunct non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation in people with Parkinson's: a study protocol.
- Ann Depress Anxiety. Non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation for opioid use disorder.
- PLOS ONE. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation alters neural response and physiological autonomic tone to noxious thermal challenge.
Your email will not be published. All fields are required.