Ear nerve stimulation may reduce lung inflammation and asthma, study finds

A recent study published in the journal Immunity has found that stimulating the auricular branch of the vagus nerve in the outer ear may help reduce inflammation in the lungs, paving the way for new therapeutic approaches to asthma and other inflammatory respiratory diseases.

Researchers explained that this branch is the only part of the vagus nerve that reaches the skin's surface. They conducted experiments on laboratory mice with allergic airway inflammation, and found that nerve stimulation increased levels of the signaling molecule CGRPβ in the airways, which significantly reduced lung inflammation.

The research team noted that when nerve fiber activity in the ear was suppressed, the mice experienced more severe disease symptoms. The findings reveal for the first time a neural mechanism linking the skin of the outer ear to immune responses in the lungs.

Future plans and clinical trials

The researchers added that these results could contribute to the development of bioelectronic therapies for inflammatory respiratory diseases, moving beyond reliance solely on traditional medications. Although the current findings are limited to animal studies, scientists are now designing a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of an ear nerve stimulation device in human asthma patients.

It is worth noting that a previous study by Brazilian researchers found that acupuncture in the ear area may help relieve chronic migraine pain and reduce its impact on daily life.