A rodent model for long-term vagus nerve stimulation experiments

Abstract

Aim: Investigations into the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) using rodents have led to promising findings for treating clinical disorders. However, the majority of research has been limited to acute timelines. We developed a rodent model for longitudinal assessment of VNS and validated it with a long-term experiment incorporating continuous physiological monitoring. While the primary aim was not to investigate the effects of VNS on the cardiovascular system, we analyzed cardiovascular parameters to demonstrate the model's capabilities in a long-term stimulation-and-recording setup. Materials & methods: Rats were implanted with a cuff electrode around the cervical vagus nerve and electrocardiogram monitoring devices were implanted in the peritoneal cavity. We also designed a connector mount for seamless access to the cuff electrode for VNS in awake-behaving rats. Results & conclusion: Results signified easy-to-interface VNS system, electrode robustness and discernible physiological signals in a long-term setup. Analysis of the cardiovascular parameters revealed some transient effects during VNS. Our proposed model enables long-term VNS experiments along with physiological monitoring in unanesthetized rats.