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Ear zaps may reveal how well your vagus nerve works

NCT ID NCT05680337

Completed Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Bakulev Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a mild electrical pulse delivered to the ear (transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation) can reliably alter heart rate variability, a measure of nervous system balance. Researchers will compare active stimulation to a sham (fake) stimulation in 140 healthy adults. The goal is to see if heart rate variability can serve as a dependable marker of vagus nerve activation.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the auricular vagus nerve
What this could lead to
If successful, this could establish a reliable way to measure vagus nerve activation, helping future treatments for conditions like anxiety, epilepsy, or heart disease.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study focused on a biomarker, not a treatment. Previous results have been mixed, so the effect may be too small or inconsistent to be useful.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

HEART RATE VARIABILITY VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Bakulev National Medical Research Center for Cardiovascular Surgery

    Moscow, 121552, Russia

  • Federal Center for Cardiovascular Surgery (Astrakhan)

    Astrakhan, Russia

  • State Budget Public Health Institution Scientific Research Institute - Ochapovsky Regional Clinical Hospital

    Krasnodar, Russia

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