Gentle ear (taVNS) stimulation to reduce anxiety and improve emotional control
Official title: The Modulatory Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) on Anxiety Responses and Emotional Regulation
Run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China · NCT07369908 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether gentle electrical stimulation of the ear (taVNS) can lower anxiety and help adults with or without high‑trait anxiety regulate their emotions.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 30 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 140 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chengdu, Sichuan) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 9, 2025 |
| Main results expected | March 16, 2026 |
| Study ends | April 16, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | January 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07369908 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults (male or female) with or without high‑trait anxiety who have no past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders and no metal implants are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
People with current psychiatric or neurological illness, a history of head injury, long‑term medication use, or metal implants are excluded and would not benefit from participation here.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a participant‑blinded, randomized, sham‑controlled between‑subject study enrolling 140 healthy men and women with or without high‑trait anxiety. Participants receive 15 minutes of taVNS to the tragus (active) or earlobe (sham) while undergoing resting‑state and task‑based fMRI, and researchers record skin conductance, heart rate variability, and collect saliva samples for hormone analysis. Before and during scanning they complete questionnaires and a modified emotional regulation task involving negative pictures of differing intensity. The design compares physiological, neural, and behavioral responses between active and sham stimulation to see if taVNS changes anxiety responses and emotion regulation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, taVNS could offer a noninvasive option to reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation without medication.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot studies and small trials have suggested taVNS can influence anxiety and autonomic markers, but findings are mixed and mechanisms remain under investigation.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders. Exclusion Criteria: * History of head injury. * Medical or psychiatric illness. * Subjects take a certain drug for a long period of time. * Subjects have metal implants in their bodies.
Where it's running
-
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)
Chengdu, Sichuan, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Shuxia Yao, Dr — University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Study coordinator: Keith M Kendrick, Dr
- Email: k.kendrick.uestc@gmail.com
- Phone: 86-28-61830811
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.