Vagus Nerve Stimulation Shows Promise for Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Duke University researchers demonstrate how targeting the nervous system and cellular processes could reduce gut inflammation and improve outcomes for IBD patients.

• A study from Duke University found that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve reduced gut inflammation in stressed mice with colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• The research highlights how vagus nerve stimulation impacts SUMOylation, a cellular process that regulates immune responses, to alleviate symptoms and improve survival rates.
• Modulating SUMOylation through nerve stimulation or drug-based approaches could lead to new therapies targeting inflammation directly, rather than just managing symptoms.
• IBD cases have surged by 50% in the past 15 years, now affecting nearly 7 million people worldwide, with current treatments often proving insufficient over time.
• While the findings are promising, researchers caution that clinical applications may yield varied results and further studies are needed to confirm effectiveness in humans.

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