Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), as a classic neurostimulation technique, has traditionally been used
for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, depression, and other neurological disorders. It is mainly divided into
implantable VNS and transcutaneous VNS. In recent years, VNS has demonstrated excellent anti-inflammatory
effects in several animal studies and shown new potential applications in immune-mediated diseases. This article
systematically reviews clinical studies on VNS treatment for various immunological diseases, such as rheuma
toid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, analyzing its stimulation methods and technical characteristics,
clinical efficacy, mechanisms of action, and safety. Evidence indicates that VNS exerts a dual, bidirectional regu
latory effect on inflammation among immune disease patients via parallel engagement of the cholinergic anti-in
flammatory pathway (CAP) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, along with their crosstalk. Such
modulation significantly improves symptomatology. This comprehensive review examines the therapeutic poten
tial of VNS in neuroimmunological disorders, intending to serve as a reference framework for subsequent investi
gations.
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