Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40755139›Full record

Trial reportPsychological medicine2025

Electroceutical enhancement of self-compassion training using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation: results from a preregistered fully factorial randomized controlled trial.

Sunjeev K Kamboj, Matthew Peniket, Jessica Norman, Rosalind Robshaw, Amit Soni-Tricker, Caroline Falconer, Paul Gilbert, Louise Simeonov

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychological medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Sunjeev K KambojClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2197-0826
Matthew PeniketClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.
Jessica NormanClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.
Rosalind RobshawClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.
Amit Soni-TrickerResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.
Caroline FalconerClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.
Paul GilbertSchool of Psychology, College of Health, Psychology and Social Care, https://ror.org/02yhrrk59University of Derby, Derby, UK.
Louise SimeonovClinical Psychopharmacology Unit, https://ror.org/02jx3x895University College London, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysiological signals conveyed by the vagus nerve may generate quiescent psychological states conducive to contemplative practices. This suggests that vagal neurostimulation could interact with contemplative psychotherapies (e.g. mindfulness and compassion-based interventions) to augment their efficacy.

methodsIn a fully factorial experimental trial, healthy adults (

resultsDuring session 1, a significant Timepoint × Stimulation × MIT interaction (

conclusiontVNS augmented the effects of SC-MIT and might, therefore, be a useful strategy for enhancing meditation-based psychotherapies. Our findings also highlight the value of oculomotor attentional metrics as responsive markers of self-compassion training and the continued need for sensitive indices of successful vagal stimulation.

Indexed as

EmpathyImagery, PsychotherapyMindfulnessSelf ConceptTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationVagus Nerve StimulationAdultAttentional BiasFemaleHeart RateHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultattentional biascompassioncompassion-focused therapyheart rate variabilitymindfulnessneurostimulationtranscutaneous vagus nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40755139
PMCPMC12341030

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.