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Effect of Vestibular Stimulation on Fat Consumption and Energy Expenditure as Assessed Using Indirect Calorimetry

NCT03138382 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2019-06-27

Study results available
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Summary

There is an ongoing and worsening problem with obesity in the developed, and much of the developing world. Although it has long been realized that Western diets that are rich in sugar and fat play an important role in this, it has only recently been realized that exposure to these diets, particularly in childhood, can damage the part of the brain that determines how much fat there is in the body. The result of this damage is that the so-called "set-point" for fat in this part of the brain is pushed upwards. There is a lot of evidence from animals that activating the brain's balance (vestibular) system pushes this set-point for fat downwards to cause fat loss, probably because this "tricks" the brain into thinking that there is increased physical activity. The aim of this study is to see whether non-invasive electrical stimulation of the vestibular system in human participants causes a change in metabolism of fat and/or energy expenditure, which, if regulated upwards, would suggest this could be used as a means of reducing body fat in humans.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Vestibular Nerve Stimulator

Electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve with vestibular nerve stimulator (GVS device) for for 45 minutes using binaural mastoid placement.

DEVICE

Sham stimulator

Looks identical to vestibular nerve stimulator but discharges current into an internal resistor rather than activating the vestibular nerves.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-08-25
Primary Completion
2018-03-01
Completion
2018-03-01
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases
Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03138382 on ClinicalTrials.gov