Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

A tiny zap to the ear might make people more social

NCT ID NCT07798349

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 01, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are testing whether a gentle electrical pulse to the ear, called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), can make healthy adults pay more attention to social cues. The trial compares stimulation on different ear spots against a sham (inactive) procedure, using eye-tracking to measure social interest and saliva samples to check oxytocin levels. The goal is to understand if taVNS works by triggering the brain's oxytocin system, and which stimulation site works best.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), a non-invasive device that delivers mild electrical pulses to the ear
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a drug-free way to enhance social interest and stress resilience, possibly aiding conditions like autism or social anxiety.
What could go wrong
This is an early, small study in healthy adults, so results may not apply to patients. The effects may be weak or inconsistent, and the stimulation could cause mild discomfort.

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

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

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2026

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

18 to 30 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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 adults Exclusion Criteria: * History of past or current neurological/psychiatric disorders; * Use of psychotropic medications (including nicotine and alcohol) * Visual impairments * Baseline data exceeds ±3 SD from mean

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Healthy adult are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Healthy adult Role of vagal stimulation in oxytocin release Role of vagal stimulation in social attention

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. 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

  • School of Life science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

    RECRUITING

    Chengdu, Sichuan, 610081, China

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.