Treatment of inflammation by selective DMV cholinergic neuron stimulation
Methods for electrical modulation of inflammation or serum TNF levels in a subject.
1 . A method of artificially increasing splenic norepinephrine release in a subject comprising selectively artificially electrically stimulating cholinergic neurons in a dorsal motor nucleus of a vagal nerve of the subject, wherein no other source of vagal nerve activity is artificially electrically stimulated, effective to increase splenic norepinephrine release.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is human.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has sepsis or is developing sepsis.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has endotoxemia, septicemia or septic shock.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein electrically stimulating is effected using microelectrodes placed in the subject's central nervous system.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the microelectrodes are positioned stereotactically prior to electrical stimulation.