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tVNS Effects on Motivation in Depression

NCT05120336 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 67

Last updated 2021-12-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Attaining goals or rewards commonly entails response costs. In light of cost and benefits, how do participants decide what effort should be put in to give it a shot? Figuratively, you may "go with your gut", but the literal contribution of the gut-brain axis in allocating effort is poorly understood to date. Here, the investigators propose to investigate non-invasive transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) as a potential modulator of energy metabolism and response vigor. Since the neural mechanisms causing the diverse cognitive and behavioral effects of the stimulation remain largely elusive, the investigators will use computational modeling of instrumental behavior and determine the primary metabolic effects of the stimulation. The investigators hypothesize that tVNS will lead to activation of afferent targets in the brain. In turn, the elicited brain activation is expected to mediate the cognitive effects of the stimulation. This may affect both sides of the utility equation because anti-depressive effects may correspond to boosting the benefit of effort whereas anti-nociceptive effects may reduce perceived costs of effort. Collectively, dissecting the cognitive effects of non-invasive tVNS in healthy individuals may facilitate the more widespread use as a treatment in mental disorders that are characterized by metabolic alterations such as depression.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation

Non-invasive brain stimulation technique that is used to stimulate vagal afferent projections to the nucleus of the solitary tract. Invasive VNS has been approved for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression.

DEVICE

sham stimulation

Sham procedure for active transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Universität Tübingen

    collaborator OTHER

  • University Hospital Tuebingen

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-12-11
Primary Completion
2021-01-29
Completion
2021-01-29

Countries

  • Germany

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

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 NCT05120336 on ClinicalTrials.gov