Not yet recruiting NCT07214194
Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Enhance Memory in Aging
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS).
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Alzheimer Disease, Aging. Basic parameters: 18 years — 80 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The aim of this study is to determine whether non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation enhances memory formation in cognitively healthy older adults and whether the effects of stimulation depend on gut and brain health.
Interventions
- Device Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS)
Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation will be delivered with a well-validated device. taVNS delivers stimulation on the left ear, with the placement of the stimulating electrode differing between the active and sham conditions. Stimulation will occur during each learning trial (total of 30 trials per phase).
Primary outcome measures
- Change in Recognition Memory (d-prime) [Time frame: post-active vs post-sham stimulation; up to 2 hours of task]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Ages 18-30 years or 65-80 years
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (visual acuity)
- Fluent in English
Exclusion criteria
- Pregnant
- Symptoms of memory loss
- History of a neurological, psychiatric, or medical condition that could affect cognition or preclude MRI or pupillometry
- Use of medications known to alter cognition
- For older adults, neuropsychological performance that falls outside 1.5 standard deviations of age-adjusted norms and no self-reported memory or attention complaints
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Stanford University — Stanford
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07214194 · VNS102025