About this trial
This study aims to evaluate how different heart rate variability (HRV) recording durations reflect autonomic nervous system responses during transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in healthy adults. In a randomized, sham-controlled crossover design, participants will attend two separate sessions and receive both active taVNS and sham stimulation in randomized order. During each session, a continuous 10-minute HRV recording will be obtained, and 1-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute analysis windows will be compared. Blood pressure and pulse will also be measured before and after stimulation. The study will investigate whether shorter or longer HRV recording durations provide results comparable to the standard 5-minute recording and which duration most reliably detects autonomic changes during taVNS.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Healthy volunteers aged 18 to 40 years
Able and willing to provide informed consent
Able to tolerate active transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and sham stimulation
Able to comply with study instructions, including restrictions related to caffeine, nicotine, and heavy exercise before assessment
Disqualifiers
Diagnosed cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia, or pacemaker use
History of neurologic disease that may affect autonomic nervous system function
Regular use of medications that may affect heart rate variability or autonomic responses, including beta blockers, antiarrhythmics, or anticholinergic drugs
Active ear infection, dermatologic lesion, or any ear condition that may interfere with stimulation
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation
- Sham Stimulation