Auriculotherapy: from reflexotherapy to Auricular Neuromodulation

Introduction : L’auriculothérapie, méthode mise au point au XXème siècle par le médecin français, le docteur Paul Nogier, est issue d’une réflexothérapie basée sur la stimulation des pavillons d’oreille. Matériel et méthodes : Analyse bibliographique des bases anatomiques et neurophysiologiques de l’auriculothérapie afin de comprendre le mécanisme d’action de cette médecine complémentaire soutenue par l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé. Résultats : L’auriculothérapie constitue bien une technique de neuromodulation, même si son mécanisme d’action n’est pas entièrement élucidé, notamment du fait du peu de moyens dédiés. Conclusion : Il est nécessaire de développer la recherche clinique et fondamentale dans ce domaine de neuromodulation non-invasive prometteur.Introduction: Auriculotherapy, a method developed in the twentieth century by the French doctor, Dr. Paul Nogier, comes from a reflexotherapy based on the stimulation of the auricules. Material and methods: Bibliographic analysis of the anatomical and neurophysiological bases of auriculotherapy aimed at unravelling the mechanism of action of this complementary medicine supported by the World Health Organization. Results: Auriculotherapy is definitely a technique of neuromodulation, even if its mechanism of action is not fully elucidated, partly because of the lack of granted means. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop clinical and fundamental research in this field of promising non-invasive neuromodulation

Importance des facteurs neurotrophiques dans la protection cérébrale périnatale (exemples du VIP et du BDNF)

PARIS5-BU Saints-Pères (751062109) / SudocSudocFranceF

Auricular Neuromodulation: The Emerging Concept beyond the Stimulation of Vagus and Trigeminal Nerves

Neuromodulation, thanks to intrinsic and extrinsic brain feedback loops, seems to be the best way to exploit brain plasticity for therapeutic purposes. In the past years, there has been tremendous advances in the field of non-pharmacological modulation of brain activity. This review of different neurostimulation techniques will focus on sites and mechanisms of both transcutaneous vagus and trigeminal nerve stimulation. These methods are scientifically validated non-invasive bottom-up brain modulation techniques, easily implemented from the outer ear. In the light of this, auricles could transpire to be the most affordable target for non-invasive manipulation of central nervous system functions

The vagal autonomic pathway of COVID-19 at the cross-road of Alzheimer's Disease and aging: a review of knowledge

International audienceCoronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-triggered mortality is significantly higher in older than in younger populations worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is related to aging and was recently reported to be among the major risk factors for COVID-19 mortality in older people. The symptomatology of COVID-19 indicates that lethal outcomes of infection rely on neurogenic mechanisms. The present review compiles the available knowledge pointing to the convergence of COVID-19 complications with the mechanisms of autonomic dysfunctions in AD and aging. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is prone to neuroinvasion from the lung along the vagus nerve up to the brainstem autonomic nervous centers involved in the coupling of cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms. The brainstem autonomic network allows SARS-CoV-2 to trigger a neurogenic switch to hypertension and hypoventilation, which may act in synergy with aging- and AD-induced dysautonomias, along with an inflammatory “storm”. The lethal outcomes of COVID-19, like in AD and unhealthy aging, likely rely on a critical hypoactivity of the efferent vagus nerve cholinergic pathway, which is involved in lowering cardiovascular pressure and systemic inflammation tone. We further discuss the emerging evidence supporting the use of 1) the non-invasive stimulation of vagus nerve as an additional therapeutic approach for severe COVID-19, and 2) the demonstrated vagal tone index, i.e., heart rate variability, via smartphone-based applications as a non-serological low-cost diagnostic of COVID-19. These two well-known medical approaches are already available and now deserve large-scale testing on human cohorts in the context of both AD and COVID-19

Mechanisms of VIP-induced neuroprotection against neonatal excitotoxicity

Two VIP receptors, shared with a similar affinity by pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), have been cloned: VPAC1 and VPAC2. PHI binds to these receptors with a lower affinity. We previously showed that VIP protects against excitotoxic white matter damage in newborn mice. This article aimed to determine the receptor involved in VIP-induced neuroprotection. VIP effects were mimicked with a similar potency by VPAC2 agonists and PHI but not by VPAC1 agonists, PACAP 27 or PACAP 38. VIP neuroprotective effects were lost in mice lacking VPAC2 receptor. In situ hybridization confirmed the presence of VPAC2 mRNA. These data suggest that, in this model, VIP-induced neuroprotection is mediated by VPAC2 receptors. The pharmacology of this VPAC2 receptor seems unconventional as PACAP does not mimic VIP effects and PHI acts with a comparable potency