Weight loss during chronic, cervical vagus nerve stimulation in depressed patients with obesity: An observation

J. V. Pardo; S. A. Sheikh; M. A. Kuskowski; C. Surerus-Johnson; M. C. Hagen; J. T. Lee; B. R. Rittberg; D. E. Adson

doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803666

Weight loss during chronic, cervical vagus nerve stimulation in depressed patients with obesity: An observation

J. V. Pardo, S. A. Sheikh, M. A. Kuskowski, C. Surerus-Johnson, M. C. Hagen, J. T. Lee, B. R. Rittberg, D. E. Adson

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

112 Scopus citations

Abstract

Fourteen patients were treated over 2 years with cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for adjunctive therapy of severe, treatment-resistant depression. Here, we report the serendipitous observation that this treatment was associated with highly significant, gradual weight loss despite the patients' report of not dieting or exercising. The weight loss was proportional to the initial BMI, that is, the more severe the obesity, the greater the weight loss. Weight loss did not correlate with changes in mood symptoms. The vagus nerve carries visceral information to and from the brain; modulation of its activity may alter eating behavior. Chronic cervical VNS may merit controlled study for the treatment of severe obesity.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1756-1759
Number of pages	4
Journal	International Journal of Obesity
Volume	31
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803666
State	Published - Nov 2007

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by NARSAD, the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mark A Nugent Medical Foundation (St Paul, MN), NIH (Minnesota Obesity Center P30 DK 50456-02) and a research grant from Cyberonics Inc.

Keywords

Neurostimulation
Obesity treatment
Treatment-resistant depression
Vagal

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Weight loss during chronic, cervical vagus nerve stimulation in depressed patients with obesity: An observation",

abstract = "Fourteen patients were treated over 2 years with cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for adjunctive therapy of severe, treatment-resistant depression. Here, we report the serendipitous observation that this treatment was associated with highly significant, gradual weight loss despite the patients' report of not dieting or exercising. The weight loss was proportional to the initial BMI, that is, the more severe the obesity, the greater the weight loss. Weight loss did not correlate with changes in mood symptoms. The vagus nerve carries visceral information to and from the brain; modulation of its activity may alter eating behavior. Chronic cervical VNS may merit controlled study for the treatment of severe obesity.",

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported in part by NARSAD, the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mark A Nugent Medical Foundation (St Paul, MN), NIH (Minnesota Obesity Center P30 DK 50456-02) and a research grant from Cyberonics Inc.",

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AU - Sheikh, S. A.

AU - Kuskowski, M. A.

AU - Surerus-Johnson, C.

AU - Hagen, M. C.

AU - Lee, J. T.

AU - Rittberg, B. R.

AU - Adson, D. E.

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AB - Fourteen patients were treated over 2 years with cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for adjunctive therapy of severe, treatment-resistant depression. Here, we report the serendipitous observation that this treatment was associated with highly significant, gradual weight loss despite the patients' report of not dieting or exercising. The weight loss was proportional to the initial BMI, that is, the more severe the obesity, the greater the weight loss. Weight loss did not correlate with changes in mood symptoms. The vagus nerve carries visceral information to and from the brain; modulation of its activity may alter eating behavior. Chronic cervical VNS may merit controlled study for the treatment of severe obesity.

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Weight loss during chronic, cervical vagus nerve stimulation in depressed patients with obesity: An observation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access

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