Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35002607›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neuroscience2021

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Spatial Working Memory in Healthy Young Adults.

Jin-Bo Sun, Chen Cheng, Qian-Qian Tian, Hang Yuan, Xue-Juan Yang, Hui Deng, Xiao-Yu Guo, Ya-Peng Cui, Meng-Kai Zhang, Zi-Xin Yin and 2 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06723743 (Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Effects on Attention and Working Memory), which is not on this map. Cited by 27 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
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.

NCT06723743 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Effects on Attention and Working Memory: A Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorBaylor College of MedicineRan2026 to 2027Enrolled30ConditionsTraumatic Brain Injury (TBI) PatientsArmsTranscutaneous vagus nerve stimulation for attention in veterans with TBI, Soterix Medical Vagus Nerve Stimulation mini-CT
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.

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  19. The gut-brain axis and cognitive control: A role for the vagus nerve.Seminars in cell & developmental biology · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jin-Bo SunEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Chen ChengIntelligent Non-invasive Neuromodulation Technology and Transformation Joint Laboratory, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Qian-Qian TianEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Hang YuanIntelligent Non-invasive Neuromodulation Technology and Transformation Joint Laboratory, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Xue-Juan YangEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Hui DengEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Xiao-Yu GuoEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Ya-Peng CuiEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Meng-Kai ZhangEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Zi-Xin YinEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Cong WangIntelligent Non-invasive Neuromodulation Technology and Transformation Joint Laboratory, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Wei QinEngineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
Xidian University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is one of the core components of higher cognitive functions. There exists debate regarding the extent to which current techniques can enhance human WM capacity. Here, we examined the WM modulation effects of a previously less studied technique, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS). In experiment 1, a within-subject study, we aimed to investigate whether and which stimulation protocols of taVNS can modulate spatial WM performance in healthy adults. Forty-eight participants performed baseline spatial n-back tasks (1, 3-back) and then received online taVNS, offline taVNS, or sham stimulation before or during (online group) the posttest of spatial n-back tasks in random order. Results showed that offline taVNS could significantly increase hits in spatial 3-back task, whereas no effect was found in online taVNS or sham group. No significant taVNS effects were found on correct rejections or reaction time of accurate trials (aRT) in both online and offline protocols. To replicate the results found in experiment 1 and further investigate the generalization effect of offline taVNS, we carried out experiment 2. Sixty participants were recruited and received offline taVNS or offline earlobe stimulation in random order between baseline and posttests of behavioral tests (spatial/digit 3-back tasks). Results replicated the findings; offline taVNS could improve hits but not correct rejections or aRT in spatial WM performance, which were found in experiment 1. However, there were no significant stimulation effects on digit 3-back task. Overall, the findings suggest that offline taVNS has potential on modulating WM performance.

Indexed as

cognitive enhancementn-back tasknon-invasive neuromodulationtaVNSworking memory

Identifiers

PMID35002607
PMCPMC8733384
OpenAlexW4200328154

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.