Could a gentle ear zap boost physiotherapy for a mysterious brain disorder?
NCT ID NCT07710677
First seen Jul 17, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026
Summary
This study investigates whether adding a painless, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation through the ear to standard physiotherapy can improve motor symptoms and quality of life in people with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Researchers will first compare brain function in FND patients and healthy volunteers using TMS and fMRI. Then, FND patients will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham stimulation during five physiotherapy sessions, with neither they nor the researchers knowing which group they are in. The goal is to see if the real stimulation leads to better outcomes than physiotherapy alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation device that delivers gentle electric pulses to the ear
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to enhance physiotherapy for people with Functional Neurological Disorder, potentially improving motor symptoms and quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early feasibility study with a small number of participants, so results may not be conclusive. The sham-controlled design helps, but the treatment may show no added benefit over physiotherapy alone.
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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.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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University of Fribourg
Fribourg, Canton of Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
Contact
Contact
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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