Zapping a nerve in the ear might boost motivation and reduce anxiety
NCT ID NCT07476469
First seen Mar 18, 2026 · Last updated Jun 21, 2026 · Updated 14 times
Summary
This study tests whether mild electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve (via the ear) can change how people learn from rewards and avoid threats. About 104 participants with high anxiety, high anhedonia, or both will play VR foraging tasks and brain-scan games. The goal is to understand the brain mechanisms behind these symptoms, not to provide a treatment.
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
RECRUITINGBonn, 53127, Germany
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) device
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward new ways to treat anhedonia and anxiety by using nerve stimulation to improve reward-seeking behavior.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage study in healthy volunteers and people with symptoms, not a treatment trial. It may not lead to any direct therapy, and results may not apply to all patients.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.