Auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation improves memory persistence in naïve mice and in an intellectual disability mouse model.

BACKGROUND

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) using non-invasive approaches have attracted great attention due to their anti-epileptic, anti-depressive and pro-cognitive effects. It has been proposed that auricular transcutaneous VNS (atVNS) could benefit intellectual disability disorders, but preclinical data supporting this idea is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an atVNS device for mice and to test its efficacy on memory performance in naïve mice and in a mouse model for intellectual disability.

METHODS

Naïve outbreed CD-1 mice and a model for fragile X syndrome, the Fmr1 knockout (Fmr1KO), were used to assess the effect of atVNS in the novel object-recognition memory performance.

RESULTS

We found that atVNS significantly improves memory persistence in naïve mice. Notably, atVNS was efficacious in normalizing the object-recognition memory deficit in the Fmr1KO model.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that atVNS improves memory persistence in naïve mice and in a model of intellectual disability and support further studies taking advantage of preclinical mouse models of cognitive disorders.