Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) on Plasma Insulin Levels
Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Healthy
In brief
The purpose of this study is to find out if investigators can stimulate the vagus nerve (a nerve in the body that runs from your brain to the large intestine), and influence insulin, C-peptide, and glucose levels. C-peptide is a substance that is created when insulin is produced and released into the body. The vagus nerve is a largely internal nerve that controls many bodily functions, including stomach function. Investigators hope that by stimulating the vagal nerve using the TeNS behind the ear, this stimulation can affect insulin levels, and this will help innovate treatment of patients with nausea, vomiting, and disordered stomach function, and patients with diabetes. Researchers hope to be able to measure the activity of the vagus nerve when it is stimulated in other ways. This could help investigators learn more about studying this nerve in the future.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06597149
- Run by
- Indiana University
- People needed
- 30
- Starts
- 2025-04-16
- Expected to finish
- 2026-05-31
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-03-06
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Healthy Volunteers
- Aged 18-70
- Willing to have ECG electrodes placed on their neck and chest areas.
- Willing to have electrodes placed in the external ear.
- Willing to have an indwelling catheter placed to avoid multiple sticks for blood draw.
You may not qualify if…
- Unable to provide consent.
- Diabetes diagnosis per patient report
- Having known allergies to adhesive on electrode pads or bandages
- Having gastric motility issues as determined by the PI or clinical coordinator.
- Taking any medications that may affect gastric motility or cardiac variability, i.e. alpha or beta blockers for hypertension.
- Pregnant females
- Those unwilling to have the taVNS device placed in their ear.
- Those unwilling to consent to a blood draw.
- Prisoners
Where it is running
- Indiana University Hospital — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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