Key result
Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation relative to sham increased pre-ejection period by 4.2 ms (95% CI 1.6-6.8 ms, p < 0.01) and decreased respiratory rate by 9%.
Why the study?
Stress can lead to lasting alterations in autonomic function, and while VNS can modulate the autonomic nervous system, implantable devices are limited by cost and inconvenience.
Does transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation modulate autonomic responses to stress in healthy humans with a history of psychological trauma?
Population
24 healthy human participants with a history of exposure to psychological trauma
Comparison
Active vs sham tcVNS
Design
Double-blind study
Follow-up
Three-day period
Authors
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Acute tcVNS prolongs PEP, indicating sympathetic withdrawal; extends non-invasive neuromodulation evidence for autonomic research.
RCT (n=24)
Double-blind
Does transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation modulate autonomic responses to stress in healthy humans with a history of psychological trauma?
Mean Difference: 4.2 (95% CI 1.6–6.8)
p-value: p=<0.01
Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation effectively modulates cardiovascular and peripheral autonomic responses to acute psychological stress.
Gurel et al. (2019) conducted an RCT in History of exposure to psychological trauma (n=24). Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation (tcVNS) vs. Sham tcVNS was evaluated on Pre-ejection period (PEP) of the heart (MD 4.2 ms, 95% CI 1.6-6.8, p=<0.01). Transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation relative to sham increased pre-ejection period by 4.2 ms (95% CI 1.6-6.8 ms, p < 0.01) and decreased respiratory rate by 9%.
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