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Taking people in United StatesNo phase

Efficacy of Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treatment of Low Weight Eating Disorders

Key facts

Who runs it
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Where
New York, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
30 people, planned
Started
13 Dec 2022
Expected to end
Oct 2027
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a sham (pretend) treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • taVNS
  • Sham
Record updated
8 September 2026

Who can take part

Age
14 years to 22 years
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 12 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Ages 14-22
  • Engaged in standardized refeeding in the EWDP during the intervention (may include individuals with anorexia nervosa or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder)
  • Needing to gain at least 8 lbs during the refeeding period
  • English-speaking

Who cannot take part

  • GI surgery in the last 3 months
  • GI disturbance or diagnosis (Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, gastric bezoar, or suspected or known GI obstruction)
  • Allergies to the ingredients in the shake provided
  • Psychiatric diagnoses of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
  • Pregnancy
  • Implanted or portable electro-mechanical device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or infusion pump
  • Use of illicit substances including misuse, overuse, abuse, illegal use, or addiction to or dependence on
  • Acute suicide risk/active suicidal ideation determined with the C-SSRS. "Yes" to questions 1 or 2 in the Suicidal Ideation section or "Yes" to any question in the Suicidal Behavior section will be exclusionary

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 14 and 22 years old?

Where in United States

  • Department of Psychiatry, Eating and Weight Disorders ProgramNew York, United StatesContact: Jessica Bibeau, MATaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

This project includes a 4-week randomized trial comparing pre-meal vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) to pre-meal sham stimulation. The aims will assess if taVNS results in greater satisfaction, greater calorie consumption, less self-reported fullness, decrease in eating disorder symptoms, and less anxiety than sham stimulation.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Vagal Nerve Stimulation (taVNS)Treatment being tested

    taVNS stimulation administered during intervention

    Treatment: taVNS

  • Sham Stimulation (Sham)Sham treatment, for comparison

    Sham stimulation administered during intervention

    Treatment: Sham

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Fit questions
Built from NCT05554172, who can take part
Record updated
8 September 2026