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Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Ameliorates Functional Dyspepsia with Depressive-Like Behavior and Inhibits the Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis in a Rat Model

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Abstract

Background

The hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis is the most important endocrine system to control irritability response. Functional dyspepsia (FD) is closely related to irritability. This study aimed to preliminarily explore the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mechanism of auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) for FD model rats.

Methods

Sprague–Dawley adult male rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, aVNS group, and sham-aVNS group. Except for the normal rats, all other rats were induced into the FD model through tail-clamping stimulation for 3 weeks. Once the rat model was developed successfully, rats in the aVNS group and sham-aVNS group were intervened with aVNS or sham-aVNS for 2 weeks. No intervention was given to rats in the normal and model groups. The effect of aVNS was assessed. The expressions of hippocampal corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1), hypothalamus CRF, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone in serum were assessed.

Results

1. Compared with normal rats, model-developing rats showed FD-like behavior. 2. Compared with model rats, rats in the aVNS group showed an improved general condition score and gastric motility, and increased horizontal and vertical motion scores. 3. The release of corticosterone, ACTH in serum, and CRF in the hypothalamus all increased in model rats but decreased with aVNS instead of sham-aVNS. 4. The expression of hippocampus CRHR1 was lower in model rats but higher in the aVNS group.

Conclusion

aVNS ameliorates gastric motility and improves the mental state in the FD-like rat, probably via inhibiting the CRF pathway.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81674027), the 2019 "One Belt and One Road" International Cooperation Program of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (no. GH201912), and the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (nos. ZZ201915009, ZZ201915012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China

    Li-wei Hou, Jin-ling Zhang, Lei Wang, Dong Wu, Jun-ying Wang, Mo-zheng Wu & Pei-jing Rong

  2. Department of Radiology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100053, China

    Ji-liang Fang

  3. Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China

    Dong Wu

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  1. Li-wei Hou
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  2. Ji-liang Fang
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  5. Dong Wu
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Contributions

PJR designed the study and provided financial support. JLF put forward critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. LWH, JLZ, DW, and JYW performed experiments and analyzed the data. LW corrected the spelling, grammar, and punctuation. MZW extensively reviewed English grammar and spelling.

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Correspondence to Pei-jing Rong.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The experimental protocol complied with the ethical review standards for animal experiments at Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (lot number: D2019-08-14-2).

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Hou, Lw., Fang, Jl., Zhang, Jl. et al. Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Ameliorates Functional Dyspepsia with Depressive-Like Behavior and Inhibits the Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis in a Rat Model. Dig Dis Sci 67, 4719–4731 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-021-07332-4

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