Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40376919›Full record

ArticleCNS neuroscience & therapeutics2025

Auricular Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Post-Stroke Neurological and Cognitive Recovery in Mice by Suppressing Ferroptosis Through α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Activation.

Hongyan Gong, Fang Zheng, Bochao Niu, Bin Wang, Lin Xu, Yunchao Yang, Jiahan Wang, Xiaopeng Tang, Yanlin Bi

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Article in CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hongyan GongMOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Fang ZhengDepartment of Imaging Center, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.
Bochao NiuMOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Bin WangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.
Lin XuDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.
Yunchao YangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.
Jiahan WangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.
Xiaopeng TangDepartment of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Yanlin BiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao Hospital of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Qingdao, China.ORCID 0009-0005-7165-2369

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 32100907
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsFerroptosis plays a critical role in stroke pathophysiology, yet its dynamics during recovery remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the evolution of ferroptosis throughout post-stroke recovery and evaluate auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (atVNS) as a therapeutic intervention, focusing on the involvement of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR)-mediated mechanisms.

methodsUsing a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model, we examined ferroptosis-related protein expression (GPX4, ACSL4, TfR) and iron levels across acute to chronic recovery phases. The therapeutic effects of atVNS were evaluated through the assessment of ferroptosis markers, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, cognitive function, and neuroinflammation. α7nAChR knockout mice were used to investigate the receptor's role in atVNS-mediated recovery.

resultsWe observed sustained alterations in ferroptosis markers and iron levels throughout post-stroke recovery. atVNS treatment reduced ferroptosis progression by modulating GPX4 and ACSL4 expression, enhanced neurogenesis and angiogenesis, improved cognitive recovery, and reduced neuroinflammation. These beneficial effects were absent in α7nAChR knockout mice, while atVNS increased neuronal α7nAChR expression in wild-type mice.

conclusionsThis study reveals the persistent involvement of ferroptosis in stroke recovery and demonstrates that atVNS provides comprehensive neuroprotection through α7nAChR-dependent mechanisms. These findings establish atVNS as a promising noninvasive therapeutic approach for stroke recovery and highlight α7nAChR signaling as a potential therapeutic target.

Indexed as

alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine ReceptorCognitionFerroptosisRecovery of FunctionStrokeTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationVagus Nerve StimulationAnimalsInfarction, Middle Cerebral ArteryMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, Knockoutalpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptorauricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulationferroptosisneurogenesisneuroinflammationα7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Identifiers

PMID40376919
PMCPMC12082278

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.