The Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) on Anxiety Responses and Emotional Regulation

NCT07369908 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: UESTC-neuSCAN-97
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 140
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The main aim of this study is to investigate whether transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can reduce anxiety and have an effect on emotional regulations

Conditions

Healthy Male and Female Volunteers

Keywords

taVNS; anxiety; emotional regulation; high-trait anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Brain activity patterns in response to negative pictures during emotional regulation

  Subjects will receive task-based fMRI scanning (i.e., the modified emotional regulation task) after taVNS and two resting-state fMRI scanning sessions. We will examine these brain response patterns in the modified emotional regulation task via both the conventional univariate analysis and the machine learning-based multivariate pattern analysis.

  60 minutes

• Resting-state functional conetivity changes

  Subjects will receive resting-state fMRI scanning twice before and after taVNS. We will examine resting-state functional conetivity changes induced by taVNS via examining functional conetivity differences between pre- and post-taVNS sessions.

  15 minutes

• Behavioral indices in the task

  Anxiety and success ratings after each regulation trial are recorded in the task. Subjects are instructed to rate their anxiety and success levels using a 9-point Likert scale within 4 seconds (1 = not at all, 9 = very anxious or successful)

  60 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Skin conductance responses (SCR) in the emotional regulation task during fMRI scanning

  60 minutes

• HRV in resting-state fMRI and emotional regulation task

  75 minutes during scanning

• Saliva samples analysis

  Three time points: pre-taVNS (baseline, 0 minute), immediate post-taVNS (60 minutes post-taVNS), and the end of experiment (70 minutes post-scanning).

Study Arms (4)

Experiment and high trait anxiety group

EXPERIMENTAL

male and female subjects with high trait anxiety and experimental treatment

Device: taVNS on tragus of subjects with high trait anxiety

Sham control and high trait anxiety group

SHAM COMPARATOR

male and female subjects with high trait anxiety and sham treatment

Device: taVNS on earlobe of subjects with high trait anxiety

Experiment and no high trait anxiety group

EXPERIMENTAL

male and female subjects with no high trait anxiety and experimental treatment

Device: taVNS on tragus of subjects with no high trait anxiety

Sham control and no high trait anxiety group

SHAM COMPARATOR

male and female subjects with no high trait anxiety and sham treatment

Device: taVNS on earlobe of subjects with no high trait anxiety

Interventions

taVNS on tragus of subjects with high trait anxiety DEVICE

15 minutes taVNS on tragus

Experiment and high trait anxiety group

taVNS on earlobe of subjects with high trait anxiety DEVICE

15 minutes taVNS on earlobe

Sham control and high trait anxiety group

taVNS on tragus of subjects with no high trait anxiety DEVICE

15 minutes taVNS on tragus

Experiment and no high trait anxiety group

taVNS on earlobe of subjects with no high trait anxiety DEVICE

15 minutes taVNS on earlobe

Sham control and no high trait anxiety group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders.

You may not qualify if:

• History of head injury.
• Medical or psychiatric illness.
• Subjects take a certain drug for a long period of time.
• Subjects have metal implants in their bodies.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)

Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731, China

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders; Emotional Regulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders; Self-Control; Social Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Shuxia Yao, Dr

  University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Keith M Kendrick, Dr

CONTACT

86-28-61830811; k.kendrick.uestc@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2025
• First Posted: January 27, 2026
• Study Start: October 9, 2025
• Primary Completion: March 16, 2026
• Study Completion: April 16, 2026
• Last Updated: January 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)