Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29361441›Full record

ArticleBrain stimulation

Neurophysiologic effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) via electrical stimulation of the tragus: A concurrent taVNS/fMRI study and review.

Bashar W Badran, Logan T Dowdle, Oliver J Mithoefer, Nicholas T LaBate, James Coatsworth, Joshua C Brown, William H DeVries, Christopher W Austelle, Lisa M McTeague, Mark S George

6 registry-linked trialsAbstract readControlled Clinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Brain stimulation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 6 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 229 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
229citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06086236 nacompletednot on this map

Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Basic Autonomic Nervous System Activity

TypeinterventionalSponsorBahçeşehir UniversityRan2023 to 2023Enrolled72ConditionsVagus Nerve StimulationArmsTranscutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation
NCT06782360 nacompletednot on this map

CAMSAN: Cognitive Augmentation Via Multimodal Sensing and Auricular Neurostimulation

TypeinterventionalSponsorOpenBCIRan2025 to 2026Enrolled45ConditionsHealthy, Cognitive Change, Effects of External Neurostimulation on CognitionArmsActive Neurostimulation, Sham Stimulation
NCT06892340 narecruitingnot on this map

A Non-Invasive, Non-Sedating Device to Mitigate Motion Sickness and Spatial Disorientation

TypeinterventionalSponsor59th Medical WingRan2025 to 2025Enrolled36ConditionsMotion SicknessArmsTranscutaneous Auricular Neurostimulation device
NCT07049952 phase2 / phase3recruitingnot on this map

BabyStrong II (Stimulating the Tragus for Neural Growth): A Randomized Controlled Trial of taVNS-Paired Bottle Feeding to Improve Oral Feeding

TypeinterventionalSponsorMedical University of South CarolinaRan2025 to 2027Enrolled88ConditionsFeeding Delays, Neonates and Term InfantsArmstaVNS, NAC and taVNS, inactive taVNS, sterile water and inactive taVNS
NCT07258082 narecruitingnot on this map

Transauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) for Delirium

TypeinterventionalSponsorStony Brook UniversityRan2025 to 2028Enrolled10ConditionsDelirium Treatment, DeliriumArmsTransauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation
NCT07411846 nacompletednot on this map

Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Perceived Stress and Psychological Distress in University Students With High Distress Levels: A Randomized Blinded Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorEgas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRLRan2025 to 2025Enrolled40ConditionsPsychological Distress, Stress (Psychology), Perceived StressArmstaVNS, Sham
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

229 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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169 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Bashar W BadranDepartment of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, United States; US Army Research Lab, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21005, United States. Electronic address: badran@musc.edu.
Logan T DowdleDepartment of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Oliver J MithoeferDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Nicholas T LaBateCollege of Charleston, Charleston, SC, 29403, United States.
James CoatsworthCenter for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Joshua C BrownDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
William H DeVriesDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Christopher W AustelleDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Lisa M McTeagueDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
Mark S GeorgeDepartment of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, 29401, United States.

Funding

Treating Depression and Enhancing Locomotor Recovery Post-strokeP20GM109040 · NIGMS · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI KAUTZ, STEVEN A. · 2014 to 2024
$23.5M
Techniques DevelopmentP2CHD086844 · NICHD · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI GEORGE, MARK S · 2015 to 2024
$12.7M
EEG/fMRI Controlled TMS Real-time Neural Feedback in Anti-Depressive TreatmentR21MH106775 · NIMH · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI BROWN, TRUMAN R · 2015 to 2016
$1.4M
Remediating Emotion Deficits in PTSD: Probing and Modulating NeurocircuitsK23MH104849 · NIMH · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI MCTEAGUE, LISA M · 2014 to 2017
$746k
NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD086844NIGMS NIH HHS P20 GM109040NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH104849NIMH NIH HHS R21 MH106775
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundElectrical stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) via transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) may influence afferent vagal networks. There have been 5 prior taVNS/fMRI studies, with inconsistent findings due to variability in stimulation targets and parameters.

objectiveWe developed a taVNS/fMRI system to enable concurrent electrical stimulation and fMRI acquisition to compare the effects of taVNS in relation to control stimulation.

methodsWe enrolled 17 healthy adults in this single-blind, crossover taVNS/fMRI trial. Based on parameters shown to affect heart rate in healthy volunteers, participants received either left tragus (active) or earlobe (control) stimulation at 500 μs 25 HZ for 60 s (repeated 3 times over 6 min). Whole brain fMRI analysis was performed exploring the effect of: active stimulation, control stimulation, and the comparison. Region of interest analysis of the midbrain and brainstem was also conducted.

resultsActive stimulation produced significant increased BOLD signal in the contralateral postcentral gyrus, bilateral insula, frontal cortex, right operculum, and left cerebellum. Control stimulation produced BOLD signal activation in the contralateral postcentral gyrus. In the active vs. control contrast, tragus stimulation produced significantly greater BOLD increases in the right caudate, bilateral anterior cingulate, cerebellum, left prefrontal cortex, and mid-cingulate.

conclusionStimulation of the tragus activates the cerebral afferents of the vagal pathway and combined with our review of the literature suggest that taVNS is a promising form of VNS. Future taVNS/fMRI studies should systematically explore various parameters and alternative stimulation targets aimed to optimize this novel form of neuromodulation.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultBrainCross-Over StudiesFemaleFunctional NeuroimagingHealthy VolunteersHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedSingle-Blind MethodTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationVagus NerveVagus Nerve StimulationYoung AdultAnterior cingulate cortex (ACC)Ear stimulationfMRITranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS)

Identifiers

PMID29361441
PMCPMC6487660

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.