Examining Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation as a Facilitator of Social Bonding
Completed · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Vagus Nerve Stimulation
In brief
This study aims to understand the role of the vagus nerve in promoting social bonding by using a non-invasive stimulation technique called transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS). The investigators will investigate whether tVNS can improve emotional, physiological, and behavioral experiences during and after social interactions. Couples will be randomly assigned to receive either tVNS or a sham stimulation during gratitude expression and problem-solving discussions. The investigators will measure their subjective evaluations of the interactions and capture their physiological and behavioral synchrony. This research will shed light on the processes involved in social connection and explore the potential of tVNS as a tool to enhance bonding in close relationships.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT05899413
- Run by
- University of California, San Francisco
- People needed
- 160
- Starts
- 2024-02-17
- Expected to finish
- 2024-07-31
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-05-04
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 39. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Fluent in English
- Having been in a relationship with the partner for at least a year
- Within the age range of 18-39
You may not qualify if…
- Major chronic disease. self-reported autoimmune disease; severe asthma; lung disease (such as chronic bronchitis; history of stroke, heart attack, epilepsy, brain injury); cardiovascular disease.
- Cancer: if not in remission.
- Substance dependence-current or long history (5 years of more).
- Current psychiatric diagnosis that is not being treated with medication
- Confounding medications, including those used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular conditions; psychoactive substances; and medications known to directly affect autonomic functioning.
Where it is running
- UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building — San Francisco, California, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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