illustration of neurons in the brain
MP/ALAMY
Stimulating the vagus nerve of rats caused them to avoid cocaine, suggesting that this therapy could help treat drug addiction and prevent relapse of substance use disorders.
The vagus nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain to most internal organs. Previous research has shown that stimulating it with electrical devices called vagus nerve stimulators can treat a variety of conditions, including depression and opioid withdrawal. Christopher Driskill and colleagues at the University of Texas at Dallas investigated whether vagus nerve stimulation affects…
