Joseph Peter (JP) Errico is an accomplished innovator, entrepreneur, and thought leader in engineering, intellectual property, and neuromodulation technology. With degrees from MIT and Duke University, JP has co-founded multiple successful ventures, secured over 150 patents, and pioneered groundbreaking work in vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). He is the inventor behind many of ElectroCore’s 100+ neuromodulation patents, driving advancements in VNS technology for medical and wellness applications, including optimizing neurodevelopment and cognitive function.
In our latest HigherDOSE interview, JP shares his insights on the transformative potential of VNS, the future of wellness technology, and his role as the founder of TruVaga.
1. Can you share your background and experience in the field of wellness and stress relief? What inspired you to pursue this path?
My father was an OB-GYN, in a small practice in NJ, and the hours and stress associated with his career was, at first, a strong repellant for me considering medicine. I gravitated toward the harder sciences and engineering, and went to MIT to study aeronautical engineering. My mother, who had attended law school, suggested that I consider doing the same, not necessarily as a career, but to gain an education into the business world that inevitably intrudes into all career paths. Although I stayed on to do work toward a Ph.D., I became a patent attorney, which is a natural result of the two directions I was going. I was only months into my career when I was recruited by my uncle, who is a world renowned spine surgeon to help him develop new products in his field, and within a very short period of time, we recognized in each other a very prolific teammate. We developed over 70 separate patents and those products spawned multiple products for established companies that licensed them, and new companies that either went public or were acquired, or both. The product sales have exceeded $30B. Along the way, I went back and took classes toward a Ph.D. in immunology, but again, became distracted by another field - neuromodulation - and started another company to explore what we could do to advance the field. That company, and the work I have done in support of it, has led me to the field of neuroimmunology and a deep understanding of metabolism and the mechanisms that control our overall health and longevity.
2. Can you explain what the vagus nerve is and why it’s so important to our overall health and well-being?
The vagus nerve is the half of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that controls our rest, digest, and restore mode. It is called the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), and it opposes the other half of the ANS, which is the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) The SNS controls our fight, flight, and freeze mode. The immune system is tightly controlled by the AN, with the SNS and PNS both suppressing inflammation over the short term, but in the long term, the SNS will begin to activate inflammation that can become chronic and cause damage. The PNS maintains he immune system in a calmer and quieter state, and when activated can reverse the pathological inflammation triggered by the SNS. This control over inflammation impacts several other systems in the body, including metabolism, neurotransmitter expression, mood, organ function, cardiovascular health, digestion, and even aging. The most fundamental systems in the body are the immune system, cellular metabolism, the microbiome, and the autonomic nervous system. The reason why the vagus nerve is so important is the it is the aspect off the ANS that induces homeostasis for all the systems of he body. Our health and wellbeing are fundamentally linked to the activity of our ANS, and regular return to PNS dominance is critical for health.
3. What inspired your interest in the vagus nerve, and how has it influenced your approach to stress relief and wellness?
The brief story is that I was reading an article from he late 1960s in which Russian scientists were studying anaphylaxis in dogs. They discovered that cutting the vagus nerve enabled the animals to survive an anaphylactic challenge that would have otherwise been lethal. They did not pursue the study further, as far as I know, but I linked this observation to the advice I had been given by a functional neurosurgeon, which was, “any time anyone cuts a nerve and finds benefit, the opportunity may exist to stimulate the nerve to gain the same benefit.” This led to the work we did in anaphylaxis, asthma, septic shock, headache, and dozens of other clinical applications.
4. Why is stimulating the vagus nerve important and what would you recommend as the best way someone can get started and see results?
The best way to start is to use a Truvaga VNS device twice per day for two minutes (morning and evening). The benefits can be remarkable, even life changing, and it holds nearly zero risks. Alternative ways of activating the vagus nerve include deep breathing, meditation, stretching, gargling, humming, chanting, and positive social engagement. None of these is anywhere near as strong and rapid an effect as Truvaga, which is profoundly effective at raising heart rate variability, enhancing neurotransmitter expression, balancing mitochondrial function, and lowering inflammatory markers.
5. Can you explain how vagus nerve stimulation adds to a holistic wellness routine? How does this benefit both mental and physical health?
Vagus nerve stimulation restores a parasympathetic state that is when healing and recovery can take place. To be very clear, your body and mind cannot heal and recover if it is locked in a fight or flight state. Healing and recovery require a parasympathetic state. After difficult trauma, returning to this state can be very difficult to achieve without help, and Truvaga can make that happen extremely effectively and quickly.
6. How can understanding the vagus nerve empower individuals to take control of their mental and physical health?
Understanding the vagus nerve is synonymous with understanding how the entirety off life works. To truly dig into the basis nerve and its effects is to understand all aspects of life, from the sub cellular to the systemic. Understanding the ANS will give you a glimpse of the future handbook or instruction manual for humans.
7. How does TruVaga’s technology support stress relief, and what kind of benefits can someone expect after using it consistently?
Truvaga is a very effective tool for stress management for a multitude of reasons. It raises serotonin levels through enhancing the synthesis of serotonin and reducing the expression of reuptake transporters. It does the same for dopamine and norepinephrine, and decreases glutamate and cortisol levels. The benefits accrue very quickly, and I have observed it to be extremely effective on the first use in treating panic disorder and preventing autonomic hijacking of the emotional and physiological processes in PTSD and similar trauma management situations.
8. What advice would you give to people who feel overwhelmed or stressed by their daily responsibilities and are looking for ways to improve their overall wellness?
Take long deep breaths, stretch and walk around, and then get yourself a Truvaga and use it regularly. There are very few aspects of your life that it will not benefit.
