Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for substance use disorder: A narrative review

Source:

Thompson-Lake, D. G., Snetkov, G., Johnson, L., Ait-Daoud, N., & Mahoney III, J. J. (2026). Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Substance Use Disorder: A Narrative Review. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 113244.

Highlights

• •VNS targets core mechanisms of substance use, including mood, and stress.
• •This review assesses non-invasive VNS as an adjunctive intervention for SUD.
• •Studies provide evidence for the utility and safety of VNS in SUD.
• •VNS may offer advantages in scalability over other neuromodulation techniques.