Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42274629›Full record

ArticleCells2026

Effects of Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Rectal Tone and Distal Colon Transit in Rats Mediated via the Vagal-Sacral Pathway.

Yan Li, Yan Wang, Shiying Li, Kaijie Wang, Jahangir Alam, Shiyuan Gong, Ying Zhu, Jiande D Z Chen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yan LiDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Yan WangDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Shiying LiDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Kaijie WangDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Jahangir AlamDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Shiyuan GongDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-3783-7610
Ying ZhuDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Jiande D Z ChenDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0191-5697

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The vagus nerve (innervating the gut from esophagus to proximal colon) and sacral nerve (innervating distal colon and rectum) are key parasympathetic regulators of gastrointestinal (GI) function. While vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown therapeutic potential in upper GI disorders, its role in modulating distal colon and rectal function remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of VNS on distal colon transit and rectal tone in rats. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were implanted with stimulation electrodes at the cervical or auricular vagal afferent nerve. VNS was applied with varying frequencies, pulse widths, and amplitudes. Rectal tone was assessed using a barostat device, and distal colon transit was evaluated using bead expulsion. Nitrergic and cholinergic contributions were examined using L-NAME and nNOS expression, and acetylcholine ELISA and ChAT expression, respectively. Central pathways were investigated by immunofluorescence staining of c-fos and ChAT in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). Sacral efferent pathway was assessed by chemogenetic inhibition of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) and Barrington nucleus (BN/PMC). VNS (5 Hz, 0.1 and 0.5 ms, 0.5 mA) significantly increased rectal volume, indicating relaxation, and accelerated distal colon transit. L-NAME abolished VNS-induced rectal relaxation, while nNOS expression in the rectum was upregulated, confirming nitrergic mediation. Distal colon transit was associated with increased acetylcholine release and ChAT expression, highlighting cholinergic involvement. VNS enhanced c-fos and ChAT-positive neurons in the NTS, suggesting central integration of vagal afferent signals. Chemogenetic inhibition of DMV and BN attenuated rectal relaxation, indicating that VNS effects are mediated via a vagal-NTS-sacral pathway. VNS modulates distal colon transit and rectal tone through coordinated nitrergic and cholinergic signaling and central vagal-to-sacral circuits. These findings reveal functional crosstalk between vagal and sacral parasympathetic pathways and provide mechanistic insight into potential VNS therapy for lower GI disorders.

Indexed as

ColonGastrointestinal TransitRectumSacrumVagus NerveVagus Nerve StimulationAcetylcholineAnimalsMaleRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyAcetylcholinecholinergic signalingdistal colonnitrergic signalingratrectal tonevagus nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID42274629
PMCPMC13256608

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.