Electrical Vestibular Nerve Stimulation (VeNS) as a Treatment for Anxiety

NCT04999709 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: UUAS001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 74
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Anxiety is known to be one of the most common health concerns in in the general population, and the most common mental health issue, and has been associated with several health consequences. Medications are known to be effective, and currently serve as the primary treatment for anxiety but comes with a risk of adverse effects. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-1) has also been shown to be effective and safer in the treatment of anxiety but presents its own limitations such as the time, cost, and training required. The relationship between vestibular stimulation and anxiety continues to be explored, however its usefulness in the treatment of anxiety is still unknown. Vestibular stimulation itself has been shown to be safe across multiple populations. If vestibular stimulation is shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety, it could serve as a safer alternative to medications. It could also require less cost, time, and training than CBT-1, providing a treatment option that is not only safe and effective, but broadly available to the general population. It also could present an alternative intervention for patients who are non-responsive or refuse medication. Consequently this trial seeks to evaluate the efficacy of non-invasive electrical vestibular nerve stimulation as a method of improving sleep quality and quantity, as compared to a sham control, in patients newly diagnosed with anxiety.

Conditions

Anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scores

  To evaluate the effect of the VeNS device, relative to control group on participants with anxiety (range 0-21) with higher score indicating more severe anxiety.

  4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Number of adverse events

  4 weeks

• Quality of life using SF-36 scores

  4 weeks

• Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Active

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The active device utilizes a technology termed vestibular nerve stimulation (VeNS). The device will be placed on the head in a manner analogous to headphones and will deliver a small electrical current to the skin behind the ears, over the mastoid processes. Participants will be advised to use the device at home for 1 hour per day.

Device: VeNS

Sham

SHAM COMPARATOR

The sham device looks identical to the active device and interacts with the app in a similar manner to the active device. It will apply some stimulation to a user for a limited period of time (30 seconds), before tapering down to zero over a further 20 seconds, thus creating the impression of an active device. The device will be placed on the head in a manner analogous to headphones with hydrogel electrodes placed over the mastoid processes. Participants will be advised to use the device at home for 1 hour per day.

Device: VeNS

Interventions

VeNS DEVICE

The VeNS device utilizes a technology called galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) (sometimes termed vestibular nerve stimulation (VeNS)). The device will be placed on the head in a manner analogous to headphones and will deliver a small electrical current to the skin behind the ears, over the mastoid processes. Participants will be advised to use the device at home for 1 hour per day.

Active; Sham

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Signed informed consent
• Male or female, age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 80 years at the time of signing informed consent.
• Report clinically significant symptoms of anxiety, defined as a score of 10 or greater on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, 7th edition (GAD-7)
• Ability and willingness to complete all study visits and procedures
• Agreement to engage with using the device on a daily basis
• Agreement to engage with trial mentors
• Agreement not to use prescription, or over the counter, anxiety medications for the duration of the trial
• Access to Wi-Fi
• Access to Apple smart phone (If not an Apple iPod will be supplied)

You may not qualify if:

• History of skin breakdown, eczema or other dermatological condition (e.g. psoriasis) affecting the skin behind the ears.
• Previous diagnosis of HIV infection or AIDS (HIV is known to cause a vestibular neuropathy which would prevent VeNS from working)
• Use of beta-blockers within 1 month of starting the study
• Use of antidepressants or unstable dose within 3 months of starting study
• Medication for anxiety (unless regime stable for last 3 months).
• A history of stroke or severe head injury (as defined by a head injury that required a craniotomy or endotracheal intubation). (In case this damaged the neurological pathways involved in vestibular stimulation).
• Presence of permanently implanted battery powered medical device or stimulator (e.g., pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, deep brain stimulator, vagal nerve stimulator etc.).
• Female who is pregnant, breast-feeding or intends to become pregnant or is of child-bearing potential and not using an adequate contraceptive method (adequate contraceptive measure as required by local regulation or practice)
• History of epilepsy
• History of active migraines with aura
• History of head injury requiring intensive care or neurosurgery
• History of cognitive impairment
• History of of bipolar, psychotic or substance use disorders
• Regular use (more than twice a month) of antihistamine medication within the last 6 months.
• History or presence of malignancy within the last year (except basal and squamous cell skin cancer and in-situ carcinomas)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Neurovalens Ltd.: lead
• Clinical Trial Mentors: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Cheung T, Lam JYT, Fong KH, Ho YS, Ho A, Cheng CP, Sittlington J, Xiang YT, Li TMH. The Effectiveness of Electrical Vestibular Stimulation (VeNS) on Symptoms of Anxiety: Study Protocol of a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Sham-Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 27;20(5):4218. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20054218.

  PMID: 36901227 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Teris Cheung, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 2, 2021
• First Posted: August 11, 2021
• Study Start: July 11, 2022
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2023
• Study Completion: May 25, 2023
• Last Updated: January 16, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)