This 30-minute treatment helps beat anxiety
Words: Sarah Tarca // @tarca
Image: Oscar Nicholson
Styling by Jacqueline Kaytar
I’m no stranger to the vagus nerve. In fact, I’ve written more than one story about it, including this one here. And, as a gut health obsessive (yes, that’s a thing I’m saying now) I know how important it is to my stomach, and the gut-brain axis. But, compared to Samuel Minkin BHSci (Musculoskeletal Therapy), taVNS practitioner, PBMt practioner from Sydney’s MO+ clinic, saying I “get” the vagus nerve is kind of like saying I know how to sous vide because I once watched Masterchef. As one of the few specialists in Australia who focus on vagus nerve health, he is the guy you want to see if you’re having any issues that could be vagus nerve related.
So, what is it responsible for? Well, aside from playing a huge part in gut health and digestion issues, Sam says it also plays a large role in how we deal (and respond to) stress. “The vagus nerve improves the function of our frontal lobe, an area responsible for intellect, working memory and appropriateness in various situations. The frontal lobe also houses the highest amount of dopamine receptors - that’s the reward hormone, which plays a major role in motivation.” It’s probably no surprise then to learn that an untoned vagus nerve can also be linked to conditions like anxiety and depression. As Sam explained to me when I met up with him in Sydney recently it’s like the bouncer to the club has gone on a break… and because of that all the bad dudes (negative, anxious thoughts), the ones he’d usually keep out, are just waltzing on into the club (your brain) to throw some glasses around and pick fights.
Intrigued? Me too. Which is why I wanted to learn more. So, although I was seeing Sam at MO+ for my gut issues, throughout my whole 30-minute treatment all I wanted to talk about was the vagus nerve and how it could help anxiety and depression. Here’s what he had to say.
How exactly does the vagus nerve relate to depression and anxiety?
The vagus nerve has a few ways it can treat depression. One of the key ways is it regulates inflammation systemically. Inflammation in the brain correlates to increased depression and anxiety scores. It can also increase norepinephrine in the frontal lobe from the vagus nerve. The frontal lobe plays a huge role in mood regulation, and the majority of dopaminergic sensitive receptors are also located in the frontal lobe. The vagus nerve also directly decreases the activity of areas of the brain that make up the default mode network. The default mode network is made up of different areas of the brain, which are overactive in depression. To go from being in a depressed state to non-depressed state means the brain has to rewire itself. This is called neuroplasticity and a major part of neuroplasticity is brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is increased in the brain with vagus nerve stimulation.
The claim that this treatment helps with anxiety is a big one – what studies or reports have there been to support this?
The majority of studies have been done in relation to treatment resistant depression (TRD), drug resistant depression and major depressive disorder. Evidence and research strongly support the use of vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of depression. Originally vagus nerve stimulation was used to treat epilepsy and still is used to treat epilepsy today.
“To go from being in a depressed state to non-depressed state means the brain has to rewire itself…”
How does the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system relate to the vagus nerve?
A sympathetic response is a normal response the body has in the event of danger or needing to protect itself. In a sympathetic response, the body sends blood away from organs. This will mainly be the gut and to our extremities, so we can fight for our life or run to get away from danger.
A parasympathetic response is when our body doesn’t feel in danger and goes into a relaxed state, where it works to repair and recover itself. Digestion of food and absorption of nutrients takes place in this state. This also gives our adrenal system a break, so when we are in need of adrenalin our bodies have the ability to produce that. When we are in a parasympathetic state, we have the ability to meditate and to check in with ourselves.
So, how exactly do you “tone” a nerve?
The treatment works by using a small electrical current on the ears to stimulate the auricular branches of the vagus nerve. By stimulating these branches, this increases the tones (or activity) of the nerve, which in turn improves its ability to function. I also use laser on the vagus nerve, which increases the blood flow and energy of the nerve. The settings are deciphered by taking in the case history of each patient. It is becoming more and more apparent through research that different frequencies treat different conditions, so depending what the practitioner believes the cause is, this will dictate what settings they use.
How many sessions do you usually recommend a client have?
For chronic conditions, I recommend two sessions in the first week for two weeks and then we reassess the results. For patients with debilitating symptoms, I recommend three a week for two weeks. Patients tend to see noticeable results after the third treatment then improve from then on out.
What sort of results have you seen?
I’ve had countless amazing results with vagus nerve stimulation, but the most prominent one in my memory would be a 19-year-old girl who had developed treatment resistant depression when she was 14. She had tried all the available treatments including electro convulsive therapy (ECT) and even came out the other end of the intravenous ketamine trials for depression with no results. She had been referred to me by a clinical psychologist as a last resort. By the end of three weeks we were already at a stage where we were reducing her lithium.
Sam Minkin, MO+ Clinic
What attracted you to work with the vagus nerve?
The world we live in today means we have a high amount of stress placed upon us – we often feel stuck and unable to heal. People present to me with pain, which is accompanied by inflammatory issues and mental health. This nerve is essentially switched off by stress and if not treated, then only one side of people’s conditions are being treated. For me, I am drawn to helping people treat their whole selves, and not just one element.
How is your – and MO+’s – approach to this work different to others in the field?
At MO+ our take on Art Therapy (Art therapy is a therapeutic technique rooted in the idea that creative expression can foster healing and mental well-being) is within our walls and in every treatment room. As soon as you walk in our doors you enter a space of and for creativity. There is a sense of instant inner calm so that before any treatment even begins our clients feel safe and open and then their nervous system begin to… ahhh relax.