ArticlePain reports
Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation and morphine transiently inhibit trigeminal pain signaling in a chronic headache model.
Article in Pain reports. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Integration of External Vagus Nerve Stimulation in the Physiotherapeutic Management of Chronic Cervicogenic Headache: A Case Report.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation is associated with the reduction in persistent post-concussion symptoms: an observational study.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Non-Pharmacological Treatment for Chronic Migraine.Current pain and headache reports · 2023Review
- Article
- Neuromodulation for Chronic Daily Headache.Current pain and headache reports · 2022Review
- Inhibition of Nociception in a Preclinical Episodic Migraine Model by Dietary Supplementation of Grape Seed Extract Involves Activation of Endocannabinoid Receptors.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionChronic headache conditions are characterized by persistent sensitization of the trigeminal system, which involves dysfunction of descending pain modulation. We previously reported that noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) inhibits trigeminal nociception in models of episodic migraine through a mechanism involving enhanced serotonergic and GABAergic descending pain signaling.
objectivesThe analgesic effectiveness of nVNS and morphine were investigated in an animal model of chronic headache mediated by the combination of the 3 migraine risk factors of neck muscle tension, paradoxical sleep deprivation, and pungent odors.
methodsSprague-Dawley rats were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant in the trapezius and sleep deprived for 1 night to promote trigeminal sensitization. After 7 days, animals were exposed to a pungent odor, and mechanical nocifensive head withdrawal responses were determined using von Frey filaments. Beginning on day 3 after odor exposure, animals were treated daily with either nVNS or morphine for 7 days.
resultsExposure of animals sensitized by neck inflammation and sleep deprivation to a pungent odor resulted in a prolonged state of trigeminal nociception. Daily administration of nVNS or morphine significantly repressed the nocifensive response; however, cessation resulted in a return to heightened pretreatment nocifensive levels.
conclusionsThe combination of reported migraine risk factors promotes a state of sustained trigeminal hypersensitivity characteristic of chronic headache. Daily nVNS was similarly effective as morphine in inhibiting nociception and may represent a safer, opioid-sparing therapeutic option for other chronic pain disorders involving sensitization of the trigeminal system by promoting descending pain modulation.
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