taVNS During Exercise and Recovery in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on autonomic cardiovascular regulation during exercise and recovery in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants undergo two experimental conditions (active taVNS and sham stimulation) in a randomized crossover design while performing a standardized exercise protocol. Heart rate variability (HRV) is used as a non-invasive biomarker to assess autonomic nervous system dynamics across different phases (baseline, exercise, and recovery). The aim is to characterize physiological responses to neuromodulation and explore whether taVNS modulates autonomic adaptability in this population. This is a mechanistic physiological study designed to improve the understanding of autonomic regulation in SCI and to explore potential biomarkers of response to neuromodulation.

NCT Number	NCT07524491
Lead Sponsor	University of the Balearic Islands Collaborators: Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa, Spain), University of the Balearic Islands - Institute for Health Sciences Research (UNICS)
Conditions	Spinal Cord Injury, Chronic
Enrollment	35 participants
Start Date	2024-10-31
Primary Completion	2024-10-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2024-10-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-13