This study investigates the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on motor learning in rats trained in a lever press task. The research utilizes a peripheral nerve cuff electrode to stimulate the vagus nerve, aiming to enhance motor function through neurotransmitter release.
Take a rat trained in a lever press task, where the rat must extend its arm to press the lever to get a food reward.
The rat also has a chronically implanted peripheral nerve cuff electrode on its vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve influences motor and sensory functions, such as arm movement during the lever press task.
The peripheral nerve cuff electrode is connected to an implanted head cap that enables stimulus delivery to the brain of the rat.
The chronically implanted peripheral nerve cuff electrode allows for repeated nerve stimulation over an extended period.
Connect the awake rat to a stimulus generator via the implanted head cap.
After each successful lever press task, immediately stimulate the vagus nerve.
Within the brain, these stimulations trigger the release of neurotransmitters, which strengthen the neural connections associated with the required motor movements
After assembling the head cap and implanting the cuff electrodes according to manuscript directions, stimulate the vagus nerve while the rat is awake. Connect the rat to a stimulus generator via the implanted head cap and adjust the stimulation settings. For VNS induced reorganization of the motor cortical map, deliver a single train of 15 biphasic pulses, each with a width of 100 microseconds, and an amplitude of 800 micro ampere at a frequency of 30 hertz.
A stimulation train is delivered immediately after the detection of each successful lever press throughout 10, 30 minute training sessions
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