Ear-based vagus nerve stimulation to improve motor skills in older adults
Pairing tVNS with motor skill training in older adults
This project uses brief, painless ear stimulation delivered right after successful practice to help older adults improve strength and everyday motor skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169932 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would come in for short motor training sessions while gentle electrical stimulation is applied to the tragus (a surface spot on the outer ear) immediately after successful attempts. The team times the stimulation to follow successes because animal work shows that post-success vagus nerve stimulation boosts motor learning. Sessions will track changes in strength, coordination, and task performance over time to see if pairing stimulation with practice leads to clearer gains. The approach uses a noninvasive ear electrode instead of implanted devices to make participation easier and safer for older adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults who have age-related declines in motor skills or mild movement impairments and who can take part in in-person motor training sessions would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with severe motor deficits that prevent participation, contraindications to electrical stimulation (such as certain implanted devices), or specific ear conditions may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could speed motor learning and recovery in aging adults, helping preserve independence and daily function.
How similar studies have performed: Strong animal studies showed very large gains from time-locked VNS, and early human work in young adults found that transcutaneous VNS can alter motor adaptation, but it has not yet been proven in older adults.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shinohara, Minoru — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Shinohara, Minoru
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.