Predictive value of acute neuroplastic response to taVNS in treatment outcome in persistent abdominal pain: A concurrent taVNS-EEG trial

Persistent abdominal pain (PAP)—defined as chronic pain lasting more than six months with refractory to conventional treatments—poses a substantial clinical challenge [1]. Non-invasive neuromodulation approaches, such as transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), have thus gained traction as potential alternatives by targeting maladaptive neuroplasticity within pain-processing pathways [2]. The therapeutic effects of taVNS are attributed to its capacity to enhance neuroplasticity in brain regions that regulate pain perception [3].