A team of researchers has revealed a pivotal role for the vagus nerve in maintaining heart health and youthfulness.
New discovery helps the heart resist aging
A study coordinated by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa explained that maintaining the connection of the vagus nerve to the heart from both sides contributes to slowing down cardiac aging.
The results showed in particular that the right vagus nerve plays a crucial role in protecting heart muscle cells and maintaining their efficiency, regardless of heart rate.
The study adopted a multidisciplinary approach combining experimental medicine and bioengineering in cardiovascular research. A large number of Italian and international research institutions participated in the study.
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Professor Vincenzo Leonetti confirmed that "disruption of the vagus nerve's neural connectivity leads to accelerated aging of the heart."
Cardiologist Anar Dushbanova added that "even partial restoration of the connection between the right vagus nerve and the heart is sufficient to limit the mechanisms of cardiac remodeling and maintain its contractile capacity."
Bioengineering played a pivotal role in achieving these results, as Eugenio Ridolfi Riva, co-author of the patent for artificial neural limbs at the Institute of Biorobotics, explained that "an implantable and bioabsorbable neural channel was developed, designed to guide and promote the spontaneous regeneration of the thoracic vagus nerve at the cardiac level."
The researchers conclude by emphasizing that these results open up prospects in cardiothoracic surgery and organ transplantation, as they indicate that restoring the vagus nerve's connection to the heart during surgical procedures may represent an innovative preventive strategy for long-term heart protection, shifting the treatment paradigm from dealing with the complications of aging heart disease to preventing them.
The study was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
