Description

About this 1-day Workshop

This workshop will provide an overview of electrical neuromodulation of cranial nerve X (the vagus nerve), encompassing invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and non-invasive transcutaneous cervical (tcVNS) and auricular (taVNS) vagus nerve stimulation. A brief history will be presented, together with an overview of current research evidence, proposed mechanisms of action, stimulation parameters, and session protocols. Current technologies and practical approaches will be demonstrated, alongside emerging developments including respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) and real-time, closed-loop heart rate variability (HRV)-based machine-learning approaches for parameter optimisation and personalisation. Participants will gain hands-on experience with several tcVNS and taVNS devices (excluding implantable systems), together with practical guidance on their implementation in wellness, sports, and clinical settings. Potential synergistic applications of non-invasive VNS with neurofeedback, biofeedback, slow resonant breathing, sound-based interventions, and cognitive therapies will be discussed.

VNS is an established therapeutic intervention in selected clinical contexts, including drug-resistant epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression, and has also been investigated for conditions including obesity, cluster headache, migraine, pain, tinnitus, and anxiety. Non-invasive VNS approaches are increasingly being explored in wellness and performance contexts, including stress regulation, sleep, autonomic function, and learning. This workshop will conclude by examining future directions in personalised neuromodulation, including the integration of physiological biomarkers such as HRV with adaptive, closed-loop stimulation and machine-learning approaches, while distinguishing established clinical applications from emerging and investigational areas.