Recruiting

taVNS

Sponsor:

Medical University of South Carolina

Code:

NCT07536022

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

transcutaneous auricular nerve stimulation

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if taVNS works to treat symptoms of Parkinson's Disease in adults. It will also learn about the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of taVNS administered at home by the participant.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Is at-home taVNS feasible and effective for treating symptoms of Parkinson's Disease? How often are participants completing the stimulation protocol? What are the side effects of stimulation experienced by participants? How do participants rate the experience of taVNS sessions at home? How do participants' scores on assessments and questionnaires change with taVNS treatments?
2. How does taVNS impact connections between neural networks in the brain of patients with Parkinson's Disease at rest?

Participants will:

  • Have a baseline MRI scan to take images of their brain.
  • Complete a series of assessments and questionnaires to evaluate their Parkinson's Disease motor symptoms, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and other non-motor symptoms.
  • Have an initial taVNS session where their threshold to perceive the stimulation will be measured. This value will be used to stimulate each participant at a specific dose relative to their individual perception of stimulation.
  • Be trained on how to use the taVNS device and system and have one 1-hour taVNS session where their vitals will be monitored.
  • Self-administer 1-hour daily taVNS sessions for 8 weeks at-home, complete tolerability questionnaires, and weekly remote check-ins with study staff.
  • After 4-weeks of at-home taVNS, participants will come in-person to repeat the questionnaires and assessments from the first visit.
  • Following the 8 weeks of taVNS sessions, participants will repeat the MRI scan, assessments and questionnaires from visit 1.
  • Participants will complete questionnaires remotely 1 month following their last taVNS sessions.

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease

Study ID

NCT07536022

Start date

Jun 1, 2026

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Issues with walking, balance, and gait as determined by a movement disorders neurologist (a score of equal to or greater than 1 on MDS-UPDRS items 2.12 (walking and balance), and 3.10 (gait))
  • Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease based on UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria
  • Hoehn and Yahr Stage 2-4 as determined by a movement disorders neurologist
  • Stable on dopaminergic medications over the past 30 days prior to enrollment in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • A history of taVNS in the last 6 months
  • A history of brain surgery, traumatic brain injury or stroke
  • Diagnosis of a nervous system disorder besides PD, alcohol or substance use disorder, or unstable cardiovascular conditions
  • History of myocardial infarction or arrhythmia, bradycardia
  • A history of other significant gait impairment unrelated to PD (e.g. orthopedic deformities)
  • Inability to complete gait/ motor assessments (without assistance or assistance devices)
  • Ear trauma, facial pain, anatomical abnormalities or other barriers preventing earpiece fit
  • Failure to meet all criteria on a standardized MRI/taVNS safety screening: This includes, but is not limited to, the presence of claustrophobia, implanted electronic devices that are not 3T MRI compatible (e.g., pacemakers), metallic objects or fragments (e.g., bullets), and non-removable hair clips or piercings.
  • Individuals with a diagnosis of cognitive impairment (MoCA < 24) that would make them unable to understand and follow study instructions or to consent for themselves.
  • Pregnancy
  • Visual hallucinations or other psychotic symptoms, other than mild visual hallucinations secondary to PD medications, not requiring treatment, or well controlled on stable doses of quetiapine or pimavenserin.
  • Individuals with a history of seizure(s)
  • Inability to perform at-home taVNS procedures safely and properly (either alone or with the aid of a caregiver)
  • Uncorrected visual or hearing impairments that would impact performance on cognitive tests or ability to follow study procedures
  • Use of B-Blockers, dopamine blocking agent (other than quetiapine or pimavenserin in stable doses), antiarrhythmic medication, acetylcholine esterase inhibitor (study doctor will consider if on stable doses), midodrine, fludrocortisone, droxidopa, or anticholinergic drugs

Study Design

Enrollment

16 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: taVNS Stimulation

one in-person taVNS session followed by 8 weeks of at-home taVNS sessions

Interventions

transcutaneous auricular nerve stimulation

frequency of 25 Hz, pulse width of 500 µs, duty cycle of 60 seconds ON, 30 seconds OFF, for a duration of 1 hour at an intensity of 200% of individualized perceptual threshold.

Primary outcome measure

  • Adherence to At-Home Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) [ Time Frame: Baseline to end of 8-week at-home taVNS intervention ]
  • Change in Parkinson's Disease Motor Symptoms Assessed by the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS III) [ Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, and Week 8 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Daniel Lench, PhD

+843-792-9115lenchd@musc.edu

Emily Laramie, HBSc

+843-792-3873laramie@musc.edu

Locations

Medical University of South Carolina

Recruiting

Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425

Principal Investigator:

Daniel Lench, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Medical University of South Carolina

Last update posted

Jun 15, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • Parkinson's Disease
  • parkinsons
  • parkinson's
  • taVNS
  • transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation
  • non-invasive brain stimulation
  • transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
  • gait
  • motor symptoms

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Medical University of South Carolina on 2026-06-15.