SynthesisFrontiers in neuroscience2026
Effects and mechanisms of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on post-stroke cognitive impairment in animal studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
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8 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) substantially undermines rehabilitation adherence and poses a major obstacle to functional recovery. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, has the potential to improve cognitive function, as demonstrated in various clinical and preclinical studies. Against this backdrop, we performed a meta-analysis of taVNS in experimental stroke models to quantify its cognitive benefits and probe the biological mechanisms involved in its effects. Methods: We systematically searched databases, including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus, to identify controlled animal studies evaluating taVNS in PSCI models. Following eligibility screening, five studies were selected for final synthesis. The primary cognitive outcomes comprised escape latency in the Morris water maze and the Barnes maze. Data extraction was performed independently by two investigators, and statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. Results: Five RCTs involving 158 rodents were analyzed in this study. The meta-analysis revealed that taVNS significantly improved memory function in PSCI animals (SMD = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.64, Conclusion: This study provides preclinical evidence confirming that taVNS can effectively improve cognitive deficits in PSCI animal models. The enhancement of Ach levels, inhibition of neuronal apoptosis, and promotion of vascular repair may be related to the non-neuronal cholinergic system (NNCS), anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant stress mechanisms. However, as only a few studies were included, more high-quality animal experiments are needed in the future to develop standardized interventions and further explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD420261329420.
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