Parkinson DiseaseNCT05950347
The Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Anxiety in PD
A study testing Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in people with Parkinson Disease, run by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study is a double blind comparative study examining the effectiveness of the transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation treatment on Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety. The investigators hypothesize that taVNS will improve anxiety and cortical activity in Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Parkinson Disease
- What is being tested?
- Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2023to 31 Dec 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 40 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- (1) diagnosed with idiopathic PD according to the Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for PD;
- (2) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for anxiety and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score ≥ 12;
- (3) stable pharmacotherapy for PD at least one month prior to the study;
- (4) 40-80 years old;
- (5) willing to sign written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- (1) with cognitive impairment, according to Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) < 23;
- (2) took antianxiety drugs;
- (3) with taVNS contraindications;
- (4) received VNS treatment during the past month;
- (5) with concomitant severe neurologic, renal, cardiovascular, or hepatic disease.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
China1 site
the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University
Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029
About this study
Official title: The Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease
This study is a double blind comparative study examining the effectiveness of the transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation treatment on Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety. The investigators hypothesize that taVNS will improve anxiety and cortical activity in Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety.
Read the detailed description
Participants in the Experimental group underwent fourteen consecutive daily sessions of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS, twice daily, 30 minutes each time) , whereas participants in the sham stimulation group underwent fourteen consecutive daily sessions of sham taVNS. Assessments of anxiety symptoms, motor symptoms were performed three times: at baseline, one day post intervention and 2 weeks post intervention. The cortical activity (using Functional near-infrared spectroscopy) were assessed at baseline, one day post intervention.
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Being tested
- Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
- Keywords
- Parkinson's disease, Anxiety, taVNS
- Medical subject headings
- Parkinson Disease, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationDevice
Two modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain.
Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationDevice
Two modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation | Active comparator | Two modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. Receives: Device: Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation |
| Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation | Sham comparator | Two modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the left earlobe. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. Receives: Device: Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
change of Hamilton Anxiety Scale Score
Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A score), which was used for assessing the degree of anxiety. It consists of 14 symptomatic definition elements, with a total possible score of 56. The differences in HAMA score before and after treatment can be used to evaluate the effect of taVNS treatment.
Measured: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
Secondary outcomes (3)
change of HbO2 in the prefrontal cortex
The change of HbO2 in the prefrontal cortex is accessed by fNIRS combined with verbal fluency task. Recent documents have highlighted the effectiveness of fNIRS combined with verbal fluency task (VFT) in detecting alterations in the PFC in patients with anxiety. The differences in HbO2 before and after treatment can be used to evaluate the effect of taVNS treatment.
Measured: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
change of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section III
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section III were used to assess the severity of motor symptoms.
Measured: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
change of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section I
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section I can evaluate changes in mental state and cognition (including behavior and emotions)
Measured: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jul 2023
- Study start1 Aug 2023 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Nov 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Parkinson DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kezhong Zhang, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05950347
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-07
- Status last verified
- Jul 2023
- First submitted
- 10 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 28 Jul 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Jul 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05950347
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2023-07
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Keywords
- Parkinson's disease, Anxiety, taVNS
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2023 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is a double blind comparative study examining the effectiveness of the transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation treatment on Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety. The investigators hypothesize that taVNS will improve anxiety and cortical activity in Parkinson's disease patients with anxiety.
Detailed description
Participants in the Experimental group underwent fourteen consecutive daily sessions of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS, twice daily, 30 minutes each time) , whereas participants in the sham stimulation group underwent fourteen consecutive daily sessions of sham taVNS. Assessments of anxiety symptoms, motor symptoms were performed three times: at baseline, one day post intervention and 2 weeks post intervention. The cortical activity (using Functional near-infrared spectroscopy) were assessed at baseline, one day post intervention.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation | Active comparator | Device: Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationTwo modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. |
| Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation | Sham comparator | Device: Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationTwo modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the left earlobe. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- (1) diagnosed with idiopathic PD according to the Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for PD;
- (2) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for anxiety and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score ≥ 12;
- (3) stable pharmacotherapy for PD at least one month prior to the study;
- (4) 40-80 years old;
- (5) willing to sign written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- (1) with cognitive impairment, according to Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) < 23;
- (2) took antianxiety drugs;
- (3) with taVNS contraindications;
- (4) received VNS treatment during the past month;
- (5) with concomitant severe neurologic, renal, cardiovascular, or hepatic disease.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationTwo modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. | Device | Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation |
| Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulationTwo modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20/4 Hz; pulse width = 200 μs; 20 Hz lasting 7 seconds, alternated with 4 Hz lasting 3 seconds，repeat until 30 min. Every PD patient received stimulation twice daily , 30 minutes each time, for 14 consecutive days. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain. | Device | Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation |
Primary outcome
change of Hamilton Anxiety Scale Score
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A score), which was used for assessing the degree of anxiety. It consists of 14 symptomatic definition elements, with a total possible score of 56. The differences in HAMA score before and after treatment can be used to evaluate the effect of taVNS treatment.
3 secondary outcomes
change of HbO2 in the prefrontal cortex
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
change of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section III
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
change of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Score section I
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Jul 2023.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in people with Parkinson Disease, run by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Jul 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Zhang Kezhong (13770840575, kezhong_zhang1969@126.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
change of Hamilton Anxiety Scale Score (time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention，2 weeks post intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Jul 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.