Vagus nerve stimulation has been suggested to cause wide-spread changes in the hemodynamic response function in rats. Here, we demonstrate in humans that a non-invasive variant of vagus nerve stimulation is linked with neurovascular and global blood flow changes, and associated with increased salivary alpha-amylase, suggesting potential noradrenaline release. Our results provide support for the role of noradrenaline in modulating BOLD fMRI contrast via blood flow.
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