5 Comments
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Stacy Weinstein-Weiss's avatar

Thank you for this absolutely mind-blowing article!!!!!

Dana Lamm's avatar

Eric, any thoughts on the external so-called vagus nerve stimulators such as Sensate https://us.getsensate.com/?variant=47191642898707

Thank you so much for this post. Your book arrived and I'll be diving in this week!

Eric Topol's avatar

They haven't got the rigorous clinical trial testing to know of they work, so it's really a question. Thanks

Judith Ball's avatar

Why isn't the pancreas shown or its position indicated, in the illustration? Just an oversight by the illustrator? I ask because I suspect diseases of the pancreas are also affected by the immune system/axis.

SJM's avatar

Dr. Topol,

My husband is an APOe4 gene carrier and is suffering now from apparent cachexia with no underlying cancer detected. He has stable Level 3 COPD and is 83.

Could/should a vagal nerve stimulator be considered for cachexia?

An AI query yield this summary:

"Vagus nerve modulation, particularly blocking overactive vagal signaling to the liver, shows significant promise in reversing cancer-associated cachexia (muscle/fat wasting) by reducing systemic inflammation, improving metabolism, and enhancing chemotherapy effectiveness. Preclinical studies suggest that non-invasive, low-frequency electrical stimulation (e.g., skin patch) on the neck can halt this syndrome, which causes over one-third of cancer deaths."

Thank you...Sallie McKenna