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Ear needles tune the brain: study reveals Acupuncture's inner workings

NCT ID NCT07332962

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
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 This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at how a type of ear acupuncture (using tiny press needles) changes brain connections and nerve activity in 40 healthy adults. Researchers used brain scans to see if the acupuncture affects areas linked to emotion and body awareness, similar to vagus nerve stimulation. The goal was to understand how this technique might help with conditions like insomnia and depression in the future.

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

40 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Dec 2025

Finished

Mar 2026

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: 1. Age 18-30 years; 2. Basically normal diet and sleep; 3. No history of mental illness; 4. No MRI contraindications (e.g., metal implants or pacemakers) or claustrophobia; 5. Willing to participate in this study and sign the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of auricular skin lesions or allergy to adhesive ear patches; 2. Currently receiving regular acupuncture treatment; 3. History of bleeding disorders or anticoagulant use (increased bleeding risk); 4. Previous history of syncope during acupuncture.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Taizhou People's Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University

    Taizhou, Jiangsu, 225300, China

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