Ear-Zap therapy could restore arm movement after stroke
NCT ID NCT07132021
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a device that gently stimulates a nerve in the ear (taVNS) can improve arm and hand function in stroke survivors. Thirty adults who had a stroke within the last five years will receive either real taVNS or a sham (fake) stimulation combined with physical therapy for two weeks. Researchers will measure changes in motor skills and daily activities to see if the real stimulation offers extra benefits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-invasive way to boost arm and hand recovery after a stroke, helping people regain daily function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 30 people over two weeks. Results may not apply to all stroke survivors, and the sham group might show similar improvement.
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 30 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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Dec 2026
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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18 to 75 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: Patients aged between 18 and 75 years, with motor impairment in the upper extremity caused by unilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with stroke onset within the last five years. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with any contraindication to taVNS, peripheral upper extremity injuries, use of medication affecting cortical excitability in the past 3 months, use of botulinum toxin in the past 3 months, presence of any other neurological disorder, or significant cognitive deficits.
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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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Federal University of Pernambuco
RECRUITINGRecife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Robot could let stroke patients rehab their hands at home without a therapist
- Moving patterns may help stroke survivors read faster
- Vibrating wearables put stroke walking to the test
- Robot plus electrical stimulation aims to rebuild arm movement after stroke
- Can a checklist and heart monitor stop repeat strokes?
- Heart hole or stroke trigger? global registry tracks who gets closure and what happens next