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Ear-Zapping gadget might tame stress, small study hints

NCT ID NCT07628842

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Daniel Keszthelyi 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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested whether a mild electrical stimulation on the ear (taVNS) can reduce stress in 60 healthy adults. Participants received either real or fake stimulation before a stressful task. The main goal was to see if it lowered cortisol levels in saliva. Results could help develop a non-drug stress relief method.

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 point toward a drug-free way to manage acute stress in healthy people.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study in healthy volunteers, not patients. The effect may be small or not real, and results may not apply to stressed or ill populations.

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

60 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 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 65 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: * Healthy participants (defined as those without a pre-existing medical comorbidity) * Aged between 18-65 years * Ability to understand and speak the Dutch language. Exclusion Criteria: * Medical history or condition affecting the cardiovascular, respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal/hepatic, haematologic/immunologic, HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, throat), dermatological/connective tissue, musculoskeletal, metabolic/nutritional, endocrine, neurological/psychiatric systems, as well as prior major surgeries or ongoing laboratory abnormalities that could potentially limit participation or completion of the study protocol; * Any use of medication, especially those that may influence the autonomic nervous system or the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (e.g., beta-agonists or corticosteroids), with the exception of contraceptives and paracetamol; * Current or lifetime psychopathology (including PHQ-9 and GHD-7 scores \> 10); * Substance abuse (including excessive alcohol consumption); * Smoking; * Pregnancy, lactation, or intention to become pregnant during the study period; * Use of devices (e.g., cochlear implants) or other reasons (e.g. wounds, permanent ear-piercing) which complicate the use of the tVNS device; * Participation in another clinical study in which the MAST was used; * Administration of investigational drugs or participation in any scientific intervention study that might interfere with this study (to be determined by the principal investigator) within 180 days preceding the commencement of the study; * Students and employees of Maastricht University are not precluded from participation, unless they have a direct personal, professional or hierarchical position with regards to any of the study team members or their department.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Healthy adult participants

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Maastricht University

    Maastricht, Limburg, 6229ER, Netherlands

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