The vagus nerve drives cognitive function through the default mode network
Musashi Yamakawa, 建樹 富樫, Haruki Kawagoe, Shiratori Reina, Fumiya Fukushima, Takuya Urushihata, Ziyan Xie, Tasuku Kayama, Goro Ikeda, Wenfeng Xue, Tuo Xiaoying, Shinpei Kawaoka, Wang Hongbo, Motoko Maekawa, Yuji Owada, , Takuya Sasaki
This study shows that vagus nerve stimulation activates the default mode network, enhancing cognitive behaviors, while vagal-independent mechanisms affect the salience network.
bioRxiv · Oct 15, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience