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taVNS Effect on Central Auditory Processing

NCT06970444 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 70

Last updated 2025-05-14

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The behavioral effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and observed activation in the auditory cortex with transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) raise questions about their potential impact on auditory processing. This study aims to investigate whether taVNS, which has not been studied in the context of central auditory processing (CAP), has any effects on CAP.

Conditions

  • Central Auditory Disease
  • Auditory Processing Disorder, Central
  • Auditory Processing Disorders
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Interventions

DEVICE

transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS)

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is an emerging non-invasive therapy that modulates brain activity by delivering electrical impulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve at the outer ear (Badran et al., 2018). taVNS subsequently stimulates the nucleus of tractus solitarius via the afferent vagus nerve fibers. The nucleus solitarius sends outputs to the hypothalamus, which is critical for sensory processing, including auditory processing, and also activates various brain regions, including the locus coeruleus, resulting in the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonin, which are involved in neural plasticity and cognitive function, which is important for CAP. Another theory for taVNS effects is the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which may further help to balance abnormal neural activity in auditory circuits.

OTHER

Sham device

the control group received sham stimulation with the stimulator closed and electrodes placed in their left ear

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Bahçeşehir University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Medipol University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Ayberk Aydin Tunç, Master of Science · Istanbul Medipol University, Audiology Department

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-04-01
Primary Completion
2024-05-01
Completion
2024-07-19

Countries

  • Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations

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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 NCT06970444 on ClinicalTrials.gov