Effects of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Older Adults

The autonomic nervous system consists of two branches, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic, which must work in balance. Its functioning can be measured indirectly by heart rate variability, which is the time between heartbeats, which is not constant. The more it varies, the greater the role of the parasympathetic branch, and vice versa. However, with age, an imbalance can occur and the parasympathetic branch can play a lesser role, resulting in less heart rate variability (the times between heartbeats become more similar). The aim of this study is to know if electrical stimulation in the ear can improve the balance between the two branches of the autonomic nervous system in older adults, comparing two different locations of application. The main questions to answer are: Does applying electrical stimulation to a specific area of the ear improve the balance of the autonomic nervous system? Does it also help improve hand tremors, balance, concentration, saliva production, and voice quality?

NCT Number	NCT07292623
Lead Sponsor	Universidade da Coruña
Conditions	Older Adults Without Any Specific Clinical Condition, Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance, Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Enrollment	12 participants
Start Date	2025-12-19
Primary Completion	2026-02-10 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-02-12 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-02