Ear zap might help stroke patients breathe easier
NCT ID NCT06793800
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a non-invasive device that gently stimulates a nerve in the ear can improve breathing muscle strength in people who had a stroke 1-3 years ago. Researchers will measure lung function in 50 participants before and after treatment. If successful, TAVNS could become a simple add-on to standard rehabilitation.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (TAVNS) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, non-invasive way to help stroke survivors breathe easier and improve their rehabilitation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 50 people, so results may not apply to everyone. The device may not improve breathing significantly.
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
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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
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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40 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Being a chronic stroke patient with an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke diagnosis made 1-3 years ago * Having been diagnosed with stroke for the first time * Ability to understand and follow simple verbal instructions * Being between the ages of 40 and 80 * No conditions affecting perioral muscles, such as facial paralysis or swallowing disorders * No visual, auditory, or communication problems * No cardiopulmonary disorders * No additional neurological, cardiovascular, orthopedic, or similar conditions causing balance problems * Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥24 * No surgical operations or Botox applications in the last 6 months * Scoring 2 or below on the Modified Ashworth Scale Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of infection, ulcer, or scar on the auricle * Metallic implants in the skull, hypersensitivity, injury, or inflammation inside the ear * Chronic pulmonary and/or cardiac diseases * Resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute * Devices such as pacemakers or cochlear implants * Uncontrolled hypertension * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma unrelated to stroke * History of surgical operation or Botox application within the last 6 months * Presence of aphasia, apraxia, or neglect syndrome * History of 2 or more strokes (SVO) * Comorbid conditions affecting respiratory functions (e.g., Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, spinal cord injury, contractures, deformities after fractures, active upper or lower respiratory infections, etc.) * Lack of cooperation
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Mediworld Medical Center Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department
RECRUITINGIstanbul, 34040, Turkey (Türkiye)
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