The word “vagus” comes from the Latin “to wander.” Accordingly, the vagus nerve takes a meandering path through the body, impacting everything from digestion to immunity. As understanding of this pathway grew, clinicians and researchers saw it as a potential therapeutic target.
During that time, research into this approach in rheumatic diseases wandered along, so to speak, in relative obscurity, gaining minimal attention. That changed at EULAR 2019.