Advances in Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Biophysiological Modeling and Organ-Specific Therapeutic Strategies

The field of bioelectronic medicine has seen significant advancements with the advent of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as a therapeutic approach for various organ-specific diseases. The vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve, plays a crucial role in establishing bidirectional communication between the central and peripheral nervous systems, innervating multiple organs. Recent research, particularly through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund’s Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program, has accelerated the development of neuromodulation tools and techniques. These efforts have provided a wealth of experimental and clinical data, enabling the creation of organ-specific computational models and closed-loop VNS strategies. Despite these advancements, there remain significant gaps in understanding the precise physiological dynamics and clinical biomarkers associated with VNS, necessitating further investigation to develop next-generation bioelectronic therapies.

This Research Topic aims to highlight recent advances in biophysiological modeling that account for VNS effects on the physiology of specific organs. The primary goal is to enhance our understanding of how VNS influences organ-specific physiology and clinical biomarkers, which is crucial for developing novel therapies for various organ-specific diseases. Additionally, the research seeks to create in-silico testbeds for developing and testing novel open-loop and closed-loop VNS strategies before their application in animal experiments and clinical trials. By addressing these objectives, the research aims to pave the way for more effective and targeted bioelectronic treatments.

To gather further insights into the modeling, estimation, and control approaches to VNS for peripheral organ-specific diseases, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Biophysiological, computational, and data-driven modeling approaches to account for the effect of VNS on the healthy and diseased physiology of internal organs, such as the heart, stomach, lungs, colons, urinary systems, etc.
- System identification approaches applied to specific organ systems.
- Parameter estimation techniques for physiological modeling of organs in healthy and diseased cases.
- Application of AI/machine learning in modeling/optimizing the effect of VNS on specific organ physiology in healthy and diseased cases.
- Feedback control approaches for controlling organs' physiology by stimulating vagal nerves, including classical control approaches as well as machine learning and reinforcement learning approaches.