Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsEdge :

2008 APR 28 - (NewsRx.com) -- In this recent report published in the journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, researchers in Erlangen, Germany conducted a study "To evaluate the impact of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on heart rate and blood pressure ( BP) modulation in epilepsy patients (see also Epilepsy). Twenty-one epilepsy patients with VNS were tested during on ( 60 s) and off ( 5 min) phases."

"We monitored BP, RR intervals (RRI) and respiration. Spectral analysis was performed in low- ( LF: 0.04 - 0.15 Hz) and high-frequency bands ( HF: 0.15 - 0.5 Hz). For coherences above 0.5, we calculated the LF transfer function between systolic BP and RRI, and the HF transfer function gain and phase between RRI and respiration. Differences between the on and off phases were evaluated using Wilcoxon test. VNS did not change RRI and BP values. The LF power of BP and the LF and HF power of RRI increased significantly. There was a slight change in the RRI/BP LF gain and the RRI/respiration HF gain (ns). The HF phase between RRI and respiration decreased significantly. Our findings show that VNS influences both sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular modulation," wrote B. Stemper and colleagues, University of Erlangen.

The researchers concluded: "However, our results also show that VNS does not negatively influence autonomic cardiovascular regulation."

Stemper and colleagues published their study in Acta Neurologica Scandinavica (Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on cardiovascular regulation in patients with epilepsy. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 2008;117(4):231-236).

For additional information, contact M.J. Hilz, University of Erlangen Nurnberg, Dept. of Neurology, Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.

The publisher's contact information for the journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavica is: Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Rd., Oxford OX4 2DQ, Oxon, England.

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