The role of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) as modulator of cognitive control – a neurobiochemical and aging-psychophysiological perspective

认知控制是应对日常生活需求所必需的，它受几个神经递质系统的调节。其中之一是去甲肾上腺素系统。这些神经递质系统已被证明受经皮迷走神经刺激(TVNS)的调节，并已知在与年龄相关的认知功能下降相关的神经机制中发挥重要作用。计划中的项目的目的是进一步了解tVNS如何调节认知控制过程，特别强调年龄相关的调节和去甲肾上腺素能神经传递。为此，该项目使用了一种多模式的方法：它将在评估认知控制的不同方面的三个实验中获得的心理生理学(EEG)数据与相应记录的瞳孔直径数据相结合。在这些实验中，将tVNS或假tVNS应用于健康的年轻人和老年参与者。这样做，该项目将提供因果机制证据，证明由tVNS诱导的NA水平增加如何以不同方式调节年轻人和老年人的认知控制功能。事实上，tVNS越来越被认为是认知增强的工具，该项目对我们的理解和这项技术的可能适用性具有重大意义。

Cognitive control is essential to cope with everyday life requirements and is modulated by several neurotransmitter systems. One of these is the noradrenergic system. These neurotransmitter systems have been shown to be modulated by transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) and are known to play an essential role in neural mechanisms associated with age-related cognitive declines. The aim of the planned project is to further the understanding how tVNS modulates cognitive control processes with special emphasis on age-dependent modulations and noradrenergic neural transmission. To this end, the project uses a multi-modal approach: It integrates psychophysiological (EEG) data acquired during three experiments assessing different facets of cognitive control with concomitantly recorded pupil diameter data. During these experiments, tVNS or sham tVNS is applied in healthy younger adult and elderly participants. Doing so, the project will provide causal mechanistic evidence how an increase in NA levels, as induced by tVNS, differentially modulate cognitive control functions in younger adults and elderly people. The fact that tVNS is increasingly considered as tool for cognitive enhancement, the project has major implications for our understanding and the possible applicability of this technique.