Brain-gut interaction for holistic regulation: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in modulating glucose and lipid metabolic disorders

Jan 3, 2026Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Using ear nerve stimulation to influence brain-gut signals and improve sugar and fat metabolism

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Abstract

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) may help regulate glucose and lipid metabolism by influencing the gut-brain axis.

Dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism is linked to interactions between the central nervous system and peripheral organs.
The vagus nerve is crucial for metabolic homeostasis and communicates bidirectionally along the gut-brain axis.
taVNS has the potential to modulate autonomic function, which may reduce food intake and increase energy expenditure.
This therapy could alleviate conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The mechanisms by which taVNS maintains metabolic balance and its specific targets and pathways are still not fully understood.

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Dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism is a systemic disorder involving intricate interactions between the central nervous system, which governs stress and emotional regulation, and peripheral organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and pancreas. As a key component of the autonomic nervous system, the vagus nerve plays a pivotal role in regulating metabolic homeostasis through its widespread distribution and bidirectional communication along the gut-brain axis. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological therapy for metabolic disorders, modulating autonomic function via brain-gut coordination to reduce food intake and enhance energy expenditure, thereby alleviating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related conditions. However, the dynamic mechanisms by which taVNS maintains homeostatic balance through the gut-brain axis, as well as its novel targets, mediators, and pathways, remain elusive. Based on the concept of "brain-gut interaction for holistic regulation", this review explores the potential mechanisms of taVNS in ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolic disorders, offering new perspectives and strategies for clinical intervention.

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Brain-gut interaction for holistic regulation: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in modulating glucose and lipid metabolic disorders

Abstract

Full Text

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