Body of Research
Non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation Effects on Hyperarousal and Autonomic State in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Preliminary Evidence. Citation: (Lamb 2017)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a result of chronic stress that mobilizes the autonomic nervous system, and may be reflected by chronic disinhibition of limbic structures. Mild traumatic brain injury commonly precedes PTSD in populations such as veterans, owing to the vulnerability of white matter in these networks. Such damage may affect response to treatment of PTSD. The authors evaluated transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS or taVNS), a non-invasive, low-risk neuro-auricul...
Auricular Acupuncture: A Brief Introduction for Military Providers. Citation: (King 2013, 867–874)
Facing a variety of complex physical and mental health conditions, injured veterans returning home from deployment often require long-term medical management for conditions that can be challenging to treat with conventional Western medicine practices alone. In an article by Heather King and colleagues from the Naval Medical Center San Diego and the American Academy of Nursing, Auricular acupuncture is introduced as an approach being used to manage symptoms associated with a wide range of heal...