Stanford to scan brains of depression patients getting nerve stimulation
NCT ID NCT07310381
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This Stanford study will look at how an implanted vagus nerve stimulation device changes brain activity in 12 adults with treatment-resistant depression. Researchers will measure brain waves and heart signals to understand the device's effects. It is an early, exploratory study focused on learning, not on treating depression directly.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Vagus nerve stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help explain how VNS works in the brain, potentially guiding better treatments for depression.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study (12 people) that only measures brain signals, not depression symptoms. It may not lead to any direct treatment benefit.
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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.
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