Trial reportBrain stimulation
Electrical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve improves olfaction in healthy individuals: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial.
Trial report 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 trial NCT07658365 (Modulation of Olfactory Valence by Transcranial Focused Ultrasound), which is not on this map. Cited by 15 papers.
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.
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.
Modulation of Olfactory Valence by Transcranial Focused Ultrasound (tFUS)
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Neuromodulatory Interventions on Olfactory-Related Brain Function.Brain topography · 2026Trial
- The sneezing reflex: neurophysiology, neuroimmune pathways and clinical disorders.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2026Review
- Severity of Onion Tearing and Chemosensory Sensitivity: A Preliminary Investigation.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2026Article
- Article
- Study of Chemosensory Enhancement through Neuromodulation Training (SCENT): Design and methodology of a randomized clinical trial for COVID-related persistent smell dysfunction.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2026Article
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the acute effects of Essence ring aromatherapy on sleep using actigraphy.Sleep and biological rhythms · 2026Article
- Improved olfactory function following high-frequency transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation in post-COVID-19 patients with olfactory dysfunction.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025Article
- Electrical Stimulation of Trigeminal Nerve at the Anterior Nasal Septum in Healthy Individuals and Patients With Olfactory Dysfunction.International forum of allergy & rhinology · 2025Article
- Chemical Characterization, Sensory Evaluation, and Biological Activity in Neuronal Cells of Essential Oils (Rose, Eucalyptus, Lemon, and Clove) Used for Olfactory Training.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Non-contact radiofrequency stimulation to the olfactory nerve of human subjects.APL bioengineering · 2025Article
- Alpha-synuclein pathology and Parkinson's disease-related olfactory dysfunctions: an update on preclinical models and therapeutic approaches.Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society · 2025Review
- Consensus Guidelines for the Use of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation in the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Neurological Diseases: A Neuron Project from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- The sneeze reflex in physiological and pathological states: a mini review.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2025Review
- Trigeminal nerve stimulation: a current state-of-the-art review.Bioelectronic medicine · 2023Review
- Post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction: a scoping review of assessment and rehabilitation approaches.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBoth activated by environmental odorants, there is a clear role for the intranasal trigeminal and olfactory nerves in smell function. Unfortunately, our ability to perceive odorants decreases with age or with injury, and limited interventions are available to treat smell loss.
objectiveWe investigated whether electrical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve via trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates odor sensitivity in healthy individuals.
methodsWe recruited 20 healthy adults (12 Female, mean age = 27) to participate in this three-visit, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to receive one of three stimulation modalities (TNS, tDCS, or sham) during each of their visits. Odor detection thresholds were obtained at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 30-min post-intervention. Furthermore, participants were asked to complete a sustained attention task and mood assessments before odor detection testing.
resultsFindings reveal a timeXcondition interaction for guaiacol (GUA) odorant detection thresholds (F (3.188, 60.57) = 3.833, P = 0.0125), but not phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) odorant thresholds. At 30-min post-stimulation, both active TNS and active tDCS showed significantly increased sensitivity to GUA compared to sham TNS (Sham TNS = -8.30% vs. Active TNS = 9.11%, mean difference 17.43%, 95% CI 5.674 to 29.18, p = 0.0044; Sham TNS = -8.30% vs. Active tDCS = 13.58%, mean difference 21.89%, 95% CI 10.47 to 33.32, p = 0.0004).
conclusionTNS is a safe, simple, noninvasive method for boosting olfaction. Future studies should investigate the use of TNS on smell function across different stimulation parameters, odorants, and patient populations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.