Quantified Morphology of the Cervical and Subdiaphragmatic Vagus Nerves of Human, Pig, and Rat.

ABSTRACT: It is necessary to understand the morphology of the vagus nerve (VN) to design and deliver effective and selective vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) because nerve morphology influences fiber responses to electrical stimulation. Specifically, nerve diameter (and thus, electrode-fiber distance), fascicle diameter, fascicular organization, and perineurium thickness all significantly affect the responses of nerve fibers to electrical signals delivered through a cuff electrode. We quantified the morphology of cervical and subdiaphragmatic VNs in humans, pigs, and rats: effective nerve diameter, number of fascicles, effective fascicle diameters, proportions of endoneurial, perineurial, and epineurial tissues, and perineurium thickness. The human and pig VNs were comparable sizes (∼2 mm cervically; ∼

SUBMITTER: Pelot NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7672126 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature