Assessing a stimulator modification for simultaneous non-invasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation and magnetic resonance imaging

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/w6htx_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-04-02T18:30:08Z
• Authors: Vanessa Teckentrup; Mareike Ludwig; Janis Seibt; Renee Hartig; Hubert Preissl; Mark Schuppert; Nikolai I. Avdievich; Klaus Scheffler; Nikos Priovoulos; Maik Ehses; Benedikt A. Poser; Christopher J. Wi...; Peter Trautner; Walter Honerbach; Heidi I. L. Jacobs; Oliver Speck; Dorothea Hämmerer; Nils B. Kroemer
• Keywords: Vagus Nerve Stimulation

The vagus nerve, a core component of the parasympathetic nervous system, mediates information transfer between body’s internal milieu and brain. This nerve can be stimulated non-invasively at ear using transcutaneous auricular stimulation (taVNS). Concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) permits study taVNS-induced changes in brain dynamics, key requisite for precision neurostimulation. To date, however, there is no standardized protocol how to safely apply taVNS during MRI. One major risk temperature increase exceeding innocuous thresholds due coupling emitted radio frequency (RF) pulse imaging. Thus, we developed tested stimulator cable configuration with floating ground traps filter plate connectors. We measured temperature, electrodes, current interference unmodified modified cables. Measurements were conducted phantoms human participants 3T field strength. Demonstrating safety modifications different contexts, efficacy modification was independently two other sites MRI scanner models, stimulators, compared considerably reduced RF heating as relative stayed well below 2 K threshold specified by ASTM F2182 standard. Additionally, accordance 2119, rule out potential distortion signal loss around electrodes flow from even demonstrate that impaired image quality brainstem midbrain regions recovered cable. Hence, show adding allows safe use fMRI may improve enable researchers modify their hardware same way, provide details modifications.