Research progress on vagus nerve stimulation in modulating inflammatory pathways to improve refractory epilepsy
ZHANG Mou
YU Hualin
XIANG Shouwei
KUANG Xianfeng
JIANG Kailun
FANG Yu
QI Renli
LI Jinghui
Abstract：Refractory epilepsy(RE)refers to epilepsy in which patients continue to experience seizures despite receiving two or more appropriately chosen and tolerated antiseizure medications(ASMs).Vagus nerve stimulation(VNS)is a therapeutic method that delivers intermittent electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve trunk via an implanted stimulator,thereby transmitting impulses to the intracranial regions and inducing widespread functional changes in the nervous system to alleviate RE.Studies have suggested that VNS may improve RE by modulating inflammatory pathways,with its mechanism potentially involving the regulation of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)/cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed protease 1(Caspase-1)/interleukin(IL)-1β inflammasome signaling pathway.This review provides a comprehensive overview of research on VNS regulation of the NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β pathway in improving RE,aiming to enhance the understanding of the mechanisms of VNS therapy and to provide theoretical support for clinical treatment.
Keywords：epilepsyrefractoryvagus nerve stimulationinflammasome
Publication Date：2025-12-20
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-16(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 729-734 )