Striking a Nerve

Researchers in Japan have warned that the Mu (B.1.621) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the agent that causes the "coronavirus disease 2019" (COVID-19) appears to be highly resistant to neutralization by sera from convalescent or vaccinated individuals.

The B.1.621 variant, first isolated in Colombia in January this year, was classified as a variant of interest by the "World Health Organization" (WHO) on August 30th, 2021

Kei Sato Ph.D. and colleagues at the Division of Systems Virology, The Institute of Medical Science, of The University of Tokyo, have conducted a study showing that the variant was more resistant to neutralization by serum-mediated neutralization than all other variants of interest or concern that have been identified to date, this includes the 'South African beta' (B.1.351) lineage that had been recognized as the most resistant so far.

The lethal outcomes of COVID-19, like in AD and unhealthy aging, relies on a critical hypoactivity of the efferent vagus nerve cholinergic pathway, which is involved in lowering cardiovascular pressure and systemic inflammation tone.

According to Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D. on News Medical, a tight-knit community of scientific, medical, and life sciences experts, the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic is the SARS-CoV-2, initially described as lung inflammation, or pneumonia, in older adults.

However, we now know that SARS-CoV-2 infections can cause a wide range of symptoms in people of all ages, ranging from no symptoms at all to systemic inflammation and even death. This excessive inflammatory phase called “cytokine storm” can occur in severely infected patients.

A research gap exists in terms of non-drug therapeutic strategies aimed at inflammatory and immunological processes. Such an approach could be effective for treating COVID-19 patients.

Although there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, drug repurposing has enabled the identification of drugs that might be effective against the disease. Mainly, drugs that can inhibit cytokine release and reinstate inflammatory control are being explored.

A new hypothesis and theory article has been published in the Frontiers in Medicine which focuses on the stimulation of the 'vagus nerve' as a potential COVID-19 therapy.

The electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve enhances the inflammatory reflex signaling and lowers the production of cytokine. This approach has successfully reduced disease severity in an animal study associated with inflammatory diseases and sepsis.

Scientists have revealed that the approach of electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve has minimal side effects. They have found that vagus nerve stimulation by peripheral lipopolysaccharide lowers the inflammatory response in the central nervous system of rats.

Recently, scientists have revealed that the use of non-invasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation devices (t-VNS) has shown significant results in two COVID-19 patients. Researchers believe that the use of such as adjunct therapy might significantly reduce multiorgan dysfunction.

At present, two studies are being conducted to assess the efficacy of non-invasive VNS in COVID-19 patients, where scientists are using the gammaCore? non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation device for their research. This device is applied to the patient’s skin at the neck region over the vagus nerve to dispense periodic doses of VNS in a non-invasive manner…

Food for thought!