title: The effect of vagus nerve stimulation on response inhibition.
abstract: In the current study, we explored whether vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in patients with epilepsy, which is believed to increase norepinephrine (NE) levels via activation of the locus coeruleus, would positively affect response inhibition. Moreover, we tried to identify the dynamics of the underlying neural processes by investigating event-related potentials (ERPs) and pupil size. Patients performed a stop-signal task once when stimulation was switched on and once when it was switched off. We found a correlational pattern suggesting that patients who clinically benefit more from VNS treatment also show a larger behavioral advantage, in terms of faster response inhibition, when the vagus nerve is being stimulated. Event-related potential (ERP) results suggested more pronounced reactive inhibition when stimulation was switched on, independent of the individual amount of seizure reduction. Transient go-locked pupil size was increased from go trials to successful stop trials to unsuccessful stop trials but without displaying a clear VNS effect, which however, might relate to limited sensitivity. We conclude that VNS likely has a positive effect on response inhibition, at least in patients with epilepsy that benefit clinically from the treatment, presumably relating to enhancements of response-inhibition mechanisms and, therefore, identify enhanced response inhibition as a possible cognitive benefit of VNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: h.schevernels@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schevernels
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marlies E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: van Bochove
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Taeye
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Klaas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bombeke
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vonck
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Roost
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Veerle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Herdt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santens
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robrecht
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raedt
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: C Nico
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Boehler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000628:therapy*; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Epilepsy; Event-related potentials; Norepinephrine; Pupil size; Response inhibition; Vagus nerve stimulation