Testing nerve stimulation and mood in adults with excess weight
Tests ear-based vagus nerve stimulation in healthy adults who are overweight or obese.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: tVNS and Obesity-related Mechanisms
Key facts
- Where
- Bonn, GermanySee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 40 years old?
Source: NCT06954844, who can take part
Where in Germany
- Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of BonnBonn, GermanyNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Bonn
- Trial code
- NCT06954844
- Record updated
- 2 May 2025
- Original description
The overarching goal of the project is to assess whether transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) induced reduction of central and peripheral inflammation is associated with tVNS induced changes in mood and motivation in a sample of healthy participants with overweight and obesity.Read full original descriptionShow less
tVNS to Provide Mechanistic Insights Into the Relationship Between Systemic Inflammation and Altered Motivation and Mood in Healthy Individuals Who Are Overweight or Obese
The overarching goal of the project is to assess whether transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) induced reduction of central and peripheral inflammation is associated with tVNS induced changes in mood and motivation in a sample of healthy participants with overweight and obesity.
Inclusion: Between 18 and 40 years of age; BMI between 27 and 35.0 kg/m2; Legally valid declaration of consent.
Exclusion: Following diagnosis within 12 months before start of experiment: obsessive compulsive disorder, somatic symptom disorder, eating disorder; Considerable weight change (>10%) within the last 6 months before the experiment; Anti-inflammatory medication currently or in the last 3 month; Contraindications for MRI (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia); active implants (e.g., pacemaker), cerebral shunt; Current or past diagnosis of brain injury/surgery or neurological condition with permanent effects, epilepsy, stroke, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe substance use disorder, heart disease that precludes use of tVNS, diabetes (type 1 or 2), chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, etc.); Medication or Electroconvulsive therapy to treat a mental, metabolic, or neurological disorder (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, Glucagon-like Peptide-1 agonists) currently or in the last 3 months (hormone treatments that normalize function are not excluded); Elevated BMI is due to fat-free mass (e.g., in athletes); Contraindications for tVNS (e.g., piercings, sore or diseased skin areas on the outer right ear); Pregnant and breastfeeding women.