The 103rd Annual Meeting of The Physiological Society of Japan

Organizer: Ryoko Maruyama (Tohoku University)
Chairs: Ryoko Maruyama (Tohoku University), Katsumasa Kawahara (Kitasato University)

The vagus nerve is known to transmit information from the central nervous system to the periphery, but it is also well known that it transmits information about the state of the body to the central nervous system. In fact, there are many afferent fibers from the periphery to the central nervous system.Recently, research has explored the potential of afferent neural stimulation from the periphery to the central nervous system for clinical effects such as alleviating epilepsy symptoms and treating depression, as well as for improving daily life outcomes like enhancing concentration and reducing stress. It has also been reported that stimulating these afferent neural activities may contribute to promoting learning and rehabilitation by influencing neural plasticity within the brain. This discussion will explore the role of afferent neural activity in regulating the brain environment, drawing on recent basic findings, clinical applications, and the influence of factors such as diet, sleep, and music listening on our daily lives.