BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF THRESHOLD VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION ON THE PSYCHO EMOTIONAL STATE

Current evidence suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), can beneficially affect aspects of the psychoemotional state, though results are mixed and depend on protocol, target population, and outcome measure.We aimed to examine an individual threshold of vagus nerve stimulation for minimizing the negative impact of everyday job-related stress. A total of 14 volunteers, 40±13.75 years, were recruited for the study.We used the combination of pleasant meditative classical music and a slow bi-polar wave of electrical non-invasive transcutaneous stimulation of auricular area (BrainPatch platform for non-invasive stimulation).The set of 7 neuromodulation sessions was performed during staff work hours. Psychological testing included State and Trait Anxiety, psychological stress level, severity of emotional burnout, depressive symptomatology, generalized anxiety, and experienced positive and negative emotions.Due to the large variability of the data and a generally fairly low level of burnout in the sample, the detected changes were not statistically significant. VNS leads to significant decreases in depression, generalized anxiety, and State Anxiety scores.Our data indicate that the first signs of improvement in psychoemotional state (decrease in Negative Affect scores and the increase in Positive Affect) are observed after three sessions of threshold stimulation, with improvements maintained at follow-up for the final day.The proposed approach to selecting an effective stimulation regimen proves its validity.An individual threshold has demonstrated significant therapeutic effects of taVNS on emotion regulation, depression, and anxiety. BrainPatch non-invasive stimulation technology demonstrates potential for reducing depression symptoms, anxiety, and improving mood, making it a promising intervention for individuals experiencing stress and burnout.