Brain Blood Flow Alterations Induced by Therapeutic Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Partial Epilepsy: I. Acute Effects at High and Low Levels of Stimulation

Our findings suggest that left cervical VNS acutely increases synaptic activity in structures directly innervated by central vagal structures and areas that process left-sided somatosensory information, but VNS also acutely alters synaptic activity in multiple limbic system structures bilaterally. These findings may reflect sites of therapeutic actions of VNS.