Ear zap might sharpen reflexes, tiny study hopes
NCT ID NCT07528742
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a mild electrical pulse on the ear (over the vagus nerve) can improve reaction time in healthy adults. Thirty participants will receive a 5-minute stimulation using a TENS unit, and their reaction time will be measured before and after. It is a small, early-stage study exploring a possible link between nerve stimulation and mental quickness.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation via TENS unit
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to boost reaction time for healthy people.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study in healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to others. The effect, if any, is likely small and temporary.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Apr 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy participants over the age of 18 * did not receive vagus nerve stimulation previously Exclusion Criteria: * alcohol or drug abuse * metal in the skull * implanted cardiac or cranial devices * Women during 3 trimester of pregnancy
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Youngstown State University
RECRUITINGYoungstown, Ohio, 44555, United States
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