Vagal nerve stimulation improves cerebellar tremor and dysphagia in multiple sclerosis

MARROSU, FRANCESCO;MALECI, ALBERTO;COCCO, ELEONORA;PULIGHEDDU, MONICA MARIA FRANCESCA;BARBERINI, LUIGI;MARROSU, MARIA GIOVANNA

2007-01-01

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Abstract

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), an adjunctive approach for the treatment of epilepsy, was performed in three multiple sclerosis (MS) patients displaying postural cerebellar tremor (PCT) and dysphagia. Following VNS, improvement of PCT and dysphagia was manifested over a period of two and three months, respectively. in view of the involvement of the main brainstem visceral component of the vagus, the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), in modulating central pattern generators (CPGs) linked to both olive complex pathway and swallowing, improvement is likely to be VNS related. The results obtained suggest an additional therapeutic application for VNS and may represent a novel form of treatment in patients with severe MS.