Den här översättningen är inte klar ännu. Den här sidan är just nu på engelska.

Gå till den engelska sidan

Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Could breathing tricks flush waste from the brain? scientists put the idea to the test.

NCT ID NCT05180981

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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 This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study investigates whether specific breathing patterns and a gentle nerve stimulation technique can influence the brain's glymphatic system — its natural waste-clearing process. Healthy adults aged 18 to 70 will undergo MRI scans while performing breathing tasks and receiving either real or sham vagal nerve stimulation through a device on the ear. Researchers will measure changes in blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid movement to see if these interventions can boost the brain's cleaning activity.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation and controlled breathing tasks
What this could lead to
If breathing patterns can enhance glymphatic function, this could point toward non-invasive ways to support brain health and potentially reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage, observational study in healthy volunteers, not a treatment trial. It measures brain signals, not clinical outcomes, so any real-world benefits remain speculative.

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

81 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jan 2022

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

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 70 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: * Adult age 18-70 years Exclusion Criteria: * No ferrous metal implanted in head or body * No history of major head trauma * No neurological or psychiatric disorder * Not using medication that affects brain function * No implanted electronic devices (e.g. pacemaker) * No implant that poses an MR contraindication * Not pregnant, suspect they are pregnant, or seeking to become pregnant * Not claustrophobic * No piercings or jewelry that cannot be removed * Does not weigh more than 250 pounds * Normal or contact-corrected normal vision Exclusion for transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) arm: * Conditions of skin or anatomy that affect left auricle or forehead skin and could impact placement of electrodes for tVNS or forehead stimulation * Diagnosis of significant cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease \[e.g. congestive heart failure, stroke, cardiac conduction disorders (including: bundle branch block, heart block, long Q-T syndrome), history of asystole or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. * Bradycardia (defined as resting heart rate \<50 bpm) * Hypotension defined as blood pressure \<90/60 mmHg

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Healthy are added.

Vår säkerhetsrekommendation!

Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Healthy

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Boston University - Charles River Campus

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

More trials for these conditions

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