Purpose

This study will determine how vagus nerve stimulation affects human brain, stomach, and autonomic activity.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 60 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria

  • Any condition contraindicating an fMRI brain scan - Any neurological or psychiatric disorders - Any pain syndromes

Study Design

Phase
Early Phase 1
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
auricular tVNS
active and inactive auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS)
  • Device: active auricular tVNS
    non-painful active auricular tVNS will be delivered to the left ear
  • Device: inactive auricular tVNS
    non-painful inactive auricular tVNS will be delivered to the left ear

Recruiting Locations

Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Contact:
Andy Bolender
abolender@mgh.harvard.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital

Study Contact

Andy Bolender, B.A.
617-643-4297
abolender@mgh.harvard.edu

Detailed Description

Scientific research into the basic mechanisms underlying neuromodulation is relatively recent and incomplete. The purpose of the proposed study is to determine how a form of neuromodulation, transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, which is non-invasive and non-painful, affects human brain and autonomic activity. We will accomplish this by integrating whole brain functional MRI (fMRI) methodologies with gastric MRI and physiological monitoring. This study will comprise 2 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain-gut scans and 2 behavioral visits consisting of a nutrient drink test, all while receiving the neuromodulation with varying parameters. Participants will also have their heart rate, breathing, and gastric activity monitored during all visits.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.