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Review
. 2023 Dec;17(12):1221-1232.
doi: 10.1080/17474124.2023.2288156. Epub 2024 Jan 17.

Noninvasive electrical neuromodulation for gastrointestinal motility disorders

Jieyun Yin  1 , Jiande Dz Chen  2
Affiliations
Review

Noninvasive electrical neuromodulation for gastrointestinal motility disorders

Jieyun Yin et al. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Gastrointestinal motility disorders are highly prevalent without satisfactory treatment. noninvasive electrical neuromodulation is an emerging therapy for treating various gastrointestinal motility disorders.

Areas covered: In this review, several emerging noninvasive neuromodulation methods are introduced, including transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation, percutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation, transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation, transcutaneous electrical acustimulation, transabdominal interference stimulation, tibial nerve stimulation, and translumbosacral neuromodulation therapy. Their clinical applications in the most common gastrointestinal motility are discussed, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia, gastroparesis, functional constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and fecal incontinence. PubMed database was searched from 1995 to June 2023 for relevant articles in English.

Expert opinion: Noninvasive neuromodulation is effective and safe in improving both gastrointestinal symptoms and dysmotility; it can be used when pharmacotherapy is ineffective. Future directions include refining the methodology, improving device development and understanding mechanisms of action.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal motility disorder; brain-gut axis; electrical stimulation; noninvasive neuromodulation; vagus nerve.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interests

J Yin is employed by Transtimulation Research Inc. that is devoted to developing novel neuromodulation therapies for treating various gastrointestinal disorders. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Neural pathways and mechanisms of action of noninvasive electrical neuromodulation for GI motility disorders.
Electrical stimulation activates the somatic afferent nerves of the skin and muscles which are involved in the control of autonomic functions. Several neural pathways are involved in the effects of non-invasive electrical neuromodulation for improving GI motility: vagal afferent pathway, vagal efferent pathway, sympathetic efferent pathway and sacral efferent pathway. PFC: prefrontal cortex; NTS: nucleus tractus solitarius; DMV: dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus; RVLM: rostral ventrolateral medulla; ENS: enteric nervous system; IML: intermediolateral nucleus; BN: Barrington’s nucleus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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