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fMRI Evaluation of Auricular Acupuncture Targets: An Exploratory Clinical Study

NCT07332962 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2026-05-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study employs resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine whether auricular press needles acupuncture modulates functional connectivity between the insula and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), in a manner comparable to transcranial vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), and to assess its association with interoceptive improvement. By establishing a neurophysiological baseline for auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) in the healthy brain, the research aims to clarify its regulatory mechanisms in cognition and emotion. The findings provide a key theoretical and evaluative framework for translating aVNS into clinical applications for insomnia and depression.

Conditions

  • Healthy Participants

Interventions

DEVICE

Effect of Verum Auricular Acupuncture on Resting-State Brain Function in Healthy Subjects: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study

The auricular points Heart, Kidney, Shenmen, and Subcortex were selected. After a baseline fMRI scan, sterile press needles were applied aseptically to these points in the experimental group.Each point was stimulated with 20 manual presses per session. This procedure was repeated for three sessions, separated by 10-minute intervals, resulting in a total intervention time of approximately 26 minutes. To capture immediate neural effects, a post-intervention fMRI scan was conducted to observe changes in brain activity. The intervention involved applying auricular press needles (a type of intradermal embedding needle) to specific acupoints.

DEVICE

Sham Auricular Acupuncture as a Control Intervention for Brain fMRI Studies in Healthy Volunteers

The sham auricular acupuncture control group was identical to the experimental group in terms of acupoint locations, auricular acupuncture procedure, and fMRI scanning protocol. The sole exception was that the sham group received a needle-free, auricular press needles.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Jiangsu Taizhou People's Hospital

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-12-20
Primary Completion
2025-12-30
Completion
2026-03-01

Countries

  • China

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 NCT07332962 on ClinicalTrials.gov