Objective: To evaluate the vagus nerve (VN) diameter with ultrasonography in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients compared to healthy controls and explore its relationship with non-motor symptoms.
Background: Neurodegeneration of the dorsal nucleus of the VN is a well-established pathological feature in PD, potentially leading to vagal dysfunction and contributing to non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and autonomic dysfunction. Previous studies suggest that VN atrophy may serve as a biomarker for disease progression, but its correlation with non-motor symptom burden remains unclear.
Method: We recruited 70 participants: 42 PD patients with disease duration <5 years and 28 age-matched healthy controls. VN diameter was measured bilaterally using ultrasonography, and the average values were calculated. Non-motor symptoms were assessed in PD patients using the MDS Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (MDS-NMS). Correlation analyses were performed between VN diameter and MDS-NMS scores.
Results: PD patients had a significantly smaller left VN diameter compared to controls (mean 1.93 mm² vs. 2.25 mm²; p=0.012), while no significant difference was observed in the right VN (mean 2.1 mm² vs. 2.2 mm²; p=0.764). A significant negative correlation was found between MDS-NMS total score and left VN diameter (R = -0.451; p=0.018), while the right VN showed a non-significant negative trend (R = -0.255; p=0.199). Among MDS-NMS subdomains, depression, anxiety, and orthostatic symptoms exhibited the strongest associations with VN atrophy.
Conclusion: Vagus nerve atrophy in PD may be associated with a higher burden of non-motor symptoms, particularly neuropsychiatric and autonomic dysfunction. These findings suggest that VN ultrasound could serve as a potential biomarker for early non-motor involvement in PD. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate these results.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
S. Garcia, J. Sanchez, J. Grandas. Vagus nerve ultrasound and its association with non-motor symptoms in parkinson’s disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/vagus-nerve-ultrasound-and-its-association-with-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease/. Accessed October 5, 2025.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/vagus-nerve-ultrasound-and-its-association-with-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease/