Pasquier Florane, Denise Pierre, Gauthier Antoine, Bessot Nicolas, Quarck Gaëlle
Normandie Université, Unicaen, Inserm, Comete, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France.
Front Syst Neurosci. 2019 Apr 16;13:14. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00014. eCollection 2019.
Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) is a non-invasive method used to stimulate the vestibular system. The vestibular system includes the sensors, neural pathways, vestibular nuclei and the cortical areas receiving integrated vestibular inputs. In addition to its role in postural control or gaze stabilization, the vestibular system is involved in some cognitive functions and in emotion processing. Several studies have revealed a modulating effect of vestibular stimulation on mood state, emotional control, and anxiety level. Nevertheless, GVS is known to induce motion sickness symptoms such as nausea. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of a GVS protocol to be used potentially as a treatment for anxiety, and also to test the impact of stimulation parameters (duration) on anxiety. Twenty-two students underwent three stimulation conditions: (1) a sham session (no stimulation); (2) a single-duration session (38 min of GVS); and (3) a double-duration session (76 min of GVS). Before and after each stimulation, participants completed a Graybiel Scale form for motion sickness symptoms evaluation and a visual analog scale form for anxiety. We observed a significant diminution of anxiety level after a 38-min session of GVS, while a low level of motion sickness was only found following a 76-min session of GVS. Our preliminary study confirms the feasibility of using GVS to modulate anxiety and corroborates the involvement of the vestibular system in the emotional process.
直流电前庭刺激（GVS）是一种用于刺激前庭系统的非侵入性方法。前庭系统包括传感器、神经通路、前庭核以及接收整合前庭输入的皮质区域。除了在姿势控制或注视稳定方面的作用外，前庭系统还参与一些认知功能和情绪处理。多项研究揭示了前庭刺激对情绪状态、情绪控制和焦虑水平的调节作用。然而，已知GVS会诱发晕动病症状，如恶心。本研究的目的是评估一种可能用于治疗焦虑症的GVS方案的耐受性和疗效，并测试刺激参数（持续时间）对焦虑的影响。22名学生接受了三种刺激条件：（1）假刺激 session（无刺激）；（2）单持续时间 session（38分钟的GVS）；（3）双持续时间 session（76分钟的GVS）。在每次刺激前后，参与者完成一份用于评估晕动病症状的格雷比尔量表表格和一份用于评估焦虑的视觉模拟量表表格。我们观察到在38分钟的GVS刺激后焦虑水平显著降低，而仅在76分钟的GVS刺激后发现低水平的晕动病。我们的初步研究证实了使用GVS调节焦虑的可行性，并证实了前庭系统参与情绪过程。
