Vagus Nerve Stimulation Topic for IRS Lecture

One faculty member and three students at Arkansas Tech University will offer a presentation entitled “Stimulating Vagus: Drool, Heart Brake and Windows to the Soul” on Friday, Nov. 16, for the final ATU Interdisciplinary Research Series event of the fall 2018 semester.

Dr. Rodney Roosevelt, assistant professor of psychology, will be joined by students Grant Collier, Brooke Harris and Dylan Shelton in speaking on the topic of vagus nerve stimulation beginning at 3:30 p.m. in Dr. Robert Charles Brown and Jill Lestage Brown Hall room 134. All are welcome to attend. A reception will follow.

The team’s research is exploring the effects of intermittent transdermal vagus nerve stimulation on heart rate variability in humans.

“Transdermal vagus nerve stimulation is a promising novel approach to modulating activity of brain structures related to attention, learning, memory and emotion,” said Roosevelt, who added that the work is contributing to advances in the understanding of fundamental brain function and could lead to advances in the treatment of central nervous system disorders.

Roosevelt joined the ATU faculty in 2017. He holds Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Southern Illinois University.

Collier and Harris (photographed) recently presented on the topic at the 2018 Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, Calif. The work is believed to be the first clinical trial conducted at ATU.

Learn more about the ATU Interdisciplinary Research Series.