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OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine

(ISSN 2573-4393)

OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine is an international peer-reviewed Open Access journal published quarterly online by LIDSEN Publishing Inc. It covers all evidence-based scientific studies on integrative, alternative and complementary approaches to improving health and wellness.

Topics contain but are not limited to:

  • Acupuncture
  • Acupressure
  • Acupotomy
  • Bioelectromagnetics applications
  • Pharmacological and biological treatments including their efficacy and safety
  • Diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes
  • Herbal medicine
  • Homeopathy
  • Manual healing methods (e.g., massage, physical therapy)
  • Kinesiology
  • Mind/body interventions
  • Preventive medicine
  • Research in integrative medicine
  • Education in integrative medicine
  • Related policies

The journal publishes a variety of article types: Original Research, Review, Communication, Opinion, Comment, Conference Report, Technical Note, Book Review, etc.

There is no restriction on paper length, provided that the text is concise and comprehensive. Authors should present their results in as much detail as possible, as reviewers are encouraged to emphasize scientific rigor and reproducibility.

Publication Speed (median values for papers published in 2024): Submission to First Decision: 6.8 weeks; Submission to Acceptance: 14.3 weeks; Acceptance to Publication: 6 days (1-2 days of FREE language polishing included)

Current Issue: 2025  Archive: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Open Access Editorial

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS): Precise Integration Between Neuroscience and Integrative Medicine

Jozélio Freire de Carvalho *

  1. Núcleo de Pesquisa em Doenças Crônicas não Transmissíveis (NUPEN), School of Nutrition from the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

* Correspondence: Jozélio Freire de Carvalho

Received: September 10, 2025 | Accepted: September 29, 2025 | Published: October 10, 2025

OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025, Volume 10, Issue 4, doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2504043

Recommended citation: de Carvalho JF. Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS): Precise Integration Between Neuroscience and Integrative Medicine. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025; 10(4): 043; doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2504043.

© 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is correctly cited.

Abstract

Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive method that regulates the autonomic nervous system via electrical stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Recent literature demonstrates that taVNS can decrease systemic inflammation, attenuate emotional disorders, modulate autonomic functions, and facilitate neural plasticity. This review examines the neurophysiological mechanisms of taVNS, including stimulation paradigms (short- and intensive, prolonged), and clinical findings across various medical disciplines (neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, pulmonology, immunology, gastroenterology) with a focus on trials. The multiple applications presented demonstrate the great potential of taVNS as a new approach in integrative medicine, emphasizing the need for multicenter studies to unify the therapy and consolidate its effectiveness.

Keywords

taVNS; vagus nerve; electrical stimulation; integrative medicine; autonomic modulation

1. Introduction

Integrative medicine aims to integrate traditional practices with contemporary science, offering personalized, safe, and evidence-based interventions. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) exemplifies this concept by employing controlled electrical stimulation in specific auricular regions, primarily the concha and tragus, which are richly innervated by the auricular branch of the vagus nerve [1].

taVNS is a technique based on modern neuroscience that utilizes precise electrical stimulation to activate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve directly. The use of well-defined parameters, such as frequency, intensity, and duration, enables the standardization of clinical protocols and the development of high-quality clinical trials. Recent studies demonstrate that this approach can modulate autonomic and inflammatory responses, providing therapeutic benefits in conditions such as drug-resistant epilepsy, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, chronic pain, inflammatory diseases, stroke sequelae, COVID-19, and autonomic dysfunctions [2,3,4,5,6].

2. Neurophysiological Basis

taVNS activates afferent fibers of the auricular branch of the VN, which end in the jugular ganglion and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) within the brainstem [7]. The NTS is an autonomic center that controls the emotions, viscera, and intestines. Signals are then sent to central regions, including the locus coeruleus (LC), dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, from these sites [8,9].

This neural network accounts for the systemic effects of taVNS. Then, it stimulates the release of norepinephrine and serotonin, which control mood and cognitive functions [10,11]. Meanwhile, it stimulates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-6, through α7nAChR receptors on the surface of macrophages [12,13]. This mechanism, referred to as the inflammatory reflex, is of great importance in cases of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases.

Neuroimaging studies demonstrate that taVNS induces cortical desynchronization, a phenomenon associated with plasticity and functional reorganization —both key elements in neurological rehabilitation [14]. Furthermore, it enhances heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure of autonomic equilibrium without significant bradycardia and/or adverse events of severity [15,16].

The key diseases where taVNS has been recommended with evidence are presented in Table 1 and categorized by medical specialty.

Table 1 Clinical indications of taVNS by medical specialty.

3. Application Protocols

Application protocols vary according to clinical condition and therapeutic goals:

  • Short protocol: 30–60 minutes per session, once a day, for 7 consecutive days. Indicated for acute symptoms, post-COVID recovery, or post-surgical periods [3].
  • Intensive protocol: Two daily sessions of 30–90 minutes for 7 to 14 days. Indicated for chronic conditions such as IBS-C and severe anxiety [41].
  • Prolonged protocol: Repeated cycles (14 days of application followed by a 2-week interval). Used for neurological rehabilitation and disorders of consciousness [21].

The technical parameters are summarized in Table 2.

Table 2 Technical parameters of taVNS.

4. Discussion

taVNS represents an innovative intervention at the interface of neuroscience and integrative medicine. Its effects span multiple systems, from autonomic regulation to the modulation of mood and inflammation. Robust studies have demonstrated its efficacy in treatment-resistant depression [23], epilepsy [17], and autonomic disorders such as atrial fibrillation [30]. In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, taVNS acts through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, reducing inflammatory mediators without the side effects of conventional immunosuppressive drugs [36,38].

During the COVID-19 pandemic, taVNS gained prominence as a complementary strategy for modulating the inflammatory response and promoting functional recovery in patients with long COVID [3,28]. In neurology, recent advances highlight its role in motor rehabilitation after stroke, especially when combined with intensive physical therapy [18]. In psychiatry, systematic reviews confirm its benefits for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders [23,24,25,26].

Despite these advances, challenges remain. The heterogeneity of technical parameters complicates comparisons between studies. Greater integration of taVNS with other complementary therapies, such as hypnosis and herbal medicine, is needed to develop combined protocols. No specific publications on this topic were identified in OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, highlighting an opportunity for the journal to lead scientific production and foster the standardization and dissemination of high-quality evidence.

5. Conclusion

taVNS combines safety, accessibility, and efficacy, making it a promising intervention for a wide range of clinical conditions. Its integration into integrative medicine strengthens a holistic and evidence-based approach to patient care. Strengthening scientific research and standardizing protocols are essential to establish taVNS as a first-line therapeutic tool across various medical specialties.

Author Contributions

The author did all the research work for this study.

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

AI-Assisted Technologies Statement

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used solely for basic grammar correction and language refinement in the preparation of this manuscript. Specifically, OpenAI’s ChatGPT was employed to improve the readability and linguistic clarity of the English text. All scientific content, data interpretation, and conclusions were developed independently by the author. The authors have thoroughly reviewed and edited the AI-assisted text to ensure its accuracy and accept full responsibility for the content of the manuscript.

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