Liu J. Vagus nerve neuromodulation: A promising method for treating gastrointestinal dysmotility. World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther 2025; 16(4): 111266 [DOI: 10.4292/wjgpt.v16.i4.111266]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Jie Liu, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 17 Lujiang Road, Hefei 230001, Anhui Province, China. feixilj@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Letter to the Editor
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 5, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 9, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics
ISSN
2150-5349
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Liu J. Vagus nerve neuromodulation: A promising method for treating gastrointestinal dysmotility. World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther 2025; 16(4): 111266 [DOI: 10.4292/wjgpt.v16.i4.111266]
World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. Dec 5, 2025; 16(4): 111266 Published online Dec 5, 2025. doi: 10.4292/wjgpt.v16.i4.111266
Vagus nerve neuromodulation: A promising method for treating gastrointestinal dysmotility
Jie Liu
Jie Liu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, Anhui Province, China
Author contributions: Liu J drafted the manuscript and critically revised the manuscript; the author read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jie Liu, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 17 Lujiang Road, Hefei 230001, Anhui Province, China. feixilj@163.com
Received: June 26, 2025 Revised: July 18, 2025 Accepted: September 1, 2025 Published online: December 5, 2025 Processing time: 162 Days and 9.9 Hours
Abstract
Zhang et al delivered a paradigm-shifting understanding of electroacupuncture (EA)’s action in diabetic gastroparesis through a well-defined vagal pathway. Their work bridged traditional acupuncture and modern neurogastroenterology, highlighting EA as a viable strategy for refractory diabetic gastroparesis. The study integrated electrophysiology (gastric slow-wave recordings), functional assays (phenol red gastric emptying, and intestinal propulsion), dynamic positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging, histopathology, and molecular biology (Western blot, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). This comprehensive approach robustly confirmed EA’s efficacy in restoring gastric motility, interstitial cells of Cajal function, and neuropeptide balance. Future studies should prioritize clinical translation and explore synergies with pharmacological agents.
Core Tip: The study by Zhang et al offers compelling mechanistic insights into how electroacupuncture at the stomach 36 (Zusanli) acupuncture point improves gastric dysmotility in diabetic gastroparesis via the nucleus tractus solitarius-vagal axis. This work significantly advances the understanding of acupuncture’s neuromodulatory effects, providing a scientific foundation for non-pharmacological management of diabetic gastroparesis. The authors identified a peripheral-to-central pathway: Electroacupuncture at the stomach 36 activated cholinergic targets, specifically choline acetyltransferase and the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. This activation initiated signal transmission through spinal afferents in the L4 to L6 segments of the spinal cord, which were then integrated within the nucleus tractus solitarius, resulting in vagal efferent modulation of gastric targets.
