The Effect and Mechanism of taVNS in Modulating Human Social Attention

NCT07798349 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 35045
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objectives of this study are to investigate:

1. 1.whether non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can enhance human interest in social stimuli in free-viewing and stressful tasks;
2. 2.whether its effect on brain function occurs via modulating endogenous oxytocin release;
3. 3.how the stimulation site and various parameters of taVNS should be set to effectively promote the above-mentioned changes in brain function.
4. 4.Does taVNS facilitate a preference for social relative to non-social stimuli in both free-viewing and stressful tasks?
5. 5.Does taVNS increase peripheral concentrations of the neuropeptide oxytocin, and whether these changes are associated with enhanced social attention?
6. 6.Does taVNS stimulation of the right tragus, left tragus, or bilateral tragus sites produce the strongest effects on oxytocin release and social attention?

Conditions

Healthy Adult; Role of Vagal Stimulation in Oxytocin Release; Role of Vagal Stimulation in Social Attention

Keywords

taVNS; social attention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Fixation time on different areas of interest (AOIs) in free viewing tasks

  The total time spent viewing specific AOIs in free viewing tasks will be recorded

  baseline: one week before the stimulation; post: immediately after the 30 min sham (earlobe) or taVNS (transaural vagal stimulation) stimulation.

• Fixation counts on different AOIs in free viewing tasks

  The number of fixations on specific AOIs during presentation of visual stimuli will be recorded

  baseline: one week before the stimulation; post: immediately after the 30 min of sham or taVNS stimulation

• Errors made in the stressful antisaccade task

  The number of errors in the direction opposite to the required direction

  baseline: one week before the stimulation; post: immediately after the 30 min of sham or taVNS stimulation

• Response time in the stressful antisaccade task

  Time taken to make the first saccade towards the required direction

  baseline: one week before the stimulation; post: immediately after the 30 min sham or taVNS stimulation

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Saliva oxytocin concentrations

  T1: baseline; T2: immediately after the 30 min sham or taVNS stimulation; T3: 20 mins after the stimulation; T4: 30 mins after the stimulation.

• Saliva vasopressin concentrations

  T1: baseline; T2: immediately after the 30 min sham or taVNS stimulation; T3: 20 mins after the stimulation; T4: 30 mins after the stimulation.

• State anxiety scores

  baseline: before the stimulation post: immediately after the 30 min sham or taVNS stimulation

• Positive and negative affective schedule (PANAS) scores

  baseline: before the stimulation; post: immediately after the 30 min sham or taVNS stimulation.

Study Arms (4)

Experimental: earlobe stimulation

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Subjects will receive bilateral ear lobe stimulation as a control for taVNS

Device: taVNS

left tragus stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will receive the taVNS only on the left tragus

Device: taVNS

right tragus stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will receive the right tragus stimuliation

Device: taVNS

bilateral tragus stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will receive bilateral tragus stimulation

Device: taVNS

Interventions

taVNS DEVICE

bilateral Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on earlobe

Experimental: earlobe stimulation

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Healthy adults

You may not qualify if:

• History of past or current neurological/psychiatric disorders;
• Use of psychotropic medications (including nicotine and alcohol)
• Visual impairments
• Baseline data exceeds ±3 SD from mean

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Life science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Chengdu, Sichuan, 610081, China

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Keith M Kendrick PhD

CONTACT

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

yan zhang

CONTACT

18215678419; 532769737@qq.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Parallel group design with a subsequent crossover phase for all participants

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2026
• First Posted: September 1, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Last Updated: September 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)