The evidence is convergent. Multiple independent sources reach the same conclusion, the underlying mechanism is well-characterized, and even the field's most cautious voices treat it as worth doing.
if you stimulate in the vagus nerve, in an implanted vagus nerve stimulator, you can actually, you know, have this, the afferent parts of the vagus project ultimately up to the DLPFC through the cingulate through these anterior insula, so that same, that obviously the same tract, right? And you can stimulate there and alleviate depression
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But the vagus nerve lands on a particular spot on the brain called the solitary tract nucleus, which is just one synapse away from the serotonin and dopamine and norepinephrine.
That's the reason.
Now why that is of interest is that for some forms of refractory depression, electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve can provide tremendous relief. Why this is the case still remains to be determined, but it's clear that signals in the vagus nerve, at least artificial signals in the vagus nerve, can have a positive effect on reducing depression.