Inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and cardiovascular conditions, affect millions worldwide and are among the leading causes of disability and death. Current treatment options, predominantly pharmaceutical interventions, often lack precision, leading to unwanted side effects and limited efficacy in many patients. This gap underscores the urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches that can target the underlying physiological mechanisms of inflammation with greater specificity and fewer adverse effects. Peripheral nerve stimulation, particularly of the vagus nerve, offers a promising non-pharmacological alternative by leveraging the body’s natural reflexes to regulate inflammation. However, conventional methods for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are invasive, requiring surgical implantation of electrodes, which limits accessibility and carries risks such as infection and tissue damage.
The TREATMENT project aims to overcome these challenges by developing and validating a non-invasive temporal interference (TI) stimulation technology. This cutting-edge approach uses high-frequency electrical currents to create precise, focal stimulation of the vagus nerve without the need for surgical implants. By demonstrating the ability of TI stimulation to modulate key physiological parameters, such as heart rate and breath rate, the project lays the groundwork for new therapies targeting inflammatory diseases. In addition to reducing barriers to treatment, this technology holds the potential to transform patient care by enabling earlier interventions, improved comfort, and personalized therapies. The expected impact is a significant step forward in bioelectronic medicine, addressing unmet medical needs and reducing the healthcare burden associated with chronic inflammatory diseases.
