Modulation of Gastric Sensitivity and Accommodation by Vagal Nerve Stimulation
Explore the effects of auricular transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) on brain and stomach outcomes in functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis patients.
• Volunteers, female and male, between 18 and 65 years of age.
• For healthy volunteers, ability to undergo MRI for up to 2 hours.
• For Functional Dyspeptic patients, diagnosis according to the Rome III criteria for both PDS and EPS subtypes.
• For Gastroparesis patients, diagnosis will include the following criteria:
‣ symptoms of gastroparesis of at least 12 weeks duration (does not have to be continuous) with varying degrees of nausea, vomiting, early satiety, and/or post-prandial fullness
⁃ an idiopathic etiology
⁃ abnormal gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) results using a 4 hour low fat Egg Beaters® protocol within the last 6 months with either a gastric emptying rate \> 60% retention at 2 hours and/or \>10% retention at 4 hours.
∙ 4\) Stable medical treatment for Functional Dyspeptic or Gastroparesis during 1 month before study and during the study period.
∙ 5\) Avoidance of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine for 24 hours prior to study session.