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Frequency Effects of Transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) on Brain and Autonomic Function

NCT07662291 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 25

Last updated 2026-06-23

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study aims to investigate how different frequencies of transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) affect brain activity and the autonomic nervous system in healthy individuals. Participants will undergo a 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan while receiving three different types of nerve stimulation: 2Hz eTNS, 120Hz eTNS, and a sham (inactive) stimulation. The order of these stimulations will be randomly assigned. During the brain scan, researchers will simultaneously monitor the participants' breathing and heart rhythms (using a finger sensor). The main goal is to understand how changing the frequency of eTNS influences the connection between the brain's networks and the body's unconscious physiological responses.

Conditions

  • Healthy Volunteers
  • fMRI Research

Interventions

DEVICE

2Hz Transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation

Active electrical stimulation applied over the skin of the forehead targeting the branches of the trigeminal nerve. The stimulation frequency is set at 2Hz. It is synchronized with the fMRI sequence and continuous physiological monitoring (respiration and photoplethysmography).

DEVICE

120Hz Transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation

Active electrical stimulation applied over the skin of the forehead targeting the branches of the trigeminal nerve. The stimulation frequency is set at 120Hz. It is synchronized with the fMRI sequence and continuous physiological monitoring (respiration and photoplethysmography).

DEVICE

Sham Transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation

An inactive or sensory-matched sham electrical stimulation designed to mimic the physical sensation of the device being active without delivering the therapeutic frequencies (2Hz or 120Hz). It is administered synchronously with the fMRI BOLD sequence and physiological monitoring to serve as a baseline comparator.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Xidian University

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-08-06
Primary Completion
2026-08-20
Completion
2026-08-20

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 NCT07662291 on ClinicalTrials.gov