Cognitive neurobehavior and synaptic plasticity after vagus nerve stimulation in female rats: Interaction between estrous cycle and neurostimulation

Key Points

• Synaptic plasticity is significantly altered following vagus nerve stimulation during different phases of the estrous cycle.
• Cognitive neurobehavior improves notably with stimulation, particularly in the proestrus phase of the cycle.
• Assessment using various behavioral assays reveals the impact of neurostimulation and hormonal variations on female rats.
• Findings suggest that hormonal status may influence the effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation, indicating tailored therapies may be beneficial.