Figure 8

Representative ECG recordings for in-vivo (a,b) and ex-vivo VNS (c,d), each represented without and with overshoot. Curves a and c represent the ECG curves without overshoot in-vivo (a) and ex-vivo (c), respectively (“post stimulation”). Curves (b,d) represent the ECG curves with overshoot in-vivo (b) and ex-vivo (d), respectively after stimulation was turned off. The onset of stimulation is demonstrated by the decrease of heart rate in this ECG, whereas the stop of the stimulation is highlighted increasing heart rate. Overshoots are defined as an immediate increase of heart rate by at least 5 bpm above baseline after stimulation was turned off, followed by a return of heart rate back to the actual baseline.