NCT07444177Completed
Effects of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Appetite
Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Food Intake: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Crossover Study
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 4 Mar 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This study tests a new way to help control appetite. Researchers will use a wearable device on the ear. This device sends gentle electrical pulses to a nerve. This is called vagus nerve stimulation. The main goals of this study are: * To see if this device helps people eat less. * To check if it lowers feelings of hunger. * To measure how it changes responses to food cues. Healthy adult women will join this study. Each person will have two study visits. At one visit, the device will be turned on. At the other visit, the device will be off. This is a fake or "sham" treatment. During each visit, researchers will: * Give a standard meal for 30 minutes. * Measure how much food each person eats. * Ask questions about hunger and fullness. * Use computer tasks to check food cravings. This study may find a safe, medicine-free way to manage eating habits.
- Status (registry)
- Completed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 60 (actual)
- First submitted
- 23 Feb 2026
- Start date
- 12 Jan 2026
- Primary completion date
- 12 Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Seoul National University Hospital
- Diseases
- Obesity
- NCT number
- NCT07444177
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Participants enrolled: 60
- From 12 Jan 2026 to the primary completion date, 12 Feb 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Use of medications or medical interventions that may induce weight changes within the past 3 months
Other illness
- Presence of implanted metallic or electronic medical devices (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), cardiac stent, deep brain stimulator, or cochlear implant), except for dental implants and artificial joints
- History of diagnosed psychiatric disorders or current use of psychiatric medications
- Active inflammatory or infectious lesions on the ear (e.g., otitis externa, auricular dermatitis, or active skin infection)
- Known food allergies
- History of diagnosed diabetes or other endocrine metabolic diseases
- Any other medical condition, illness, or history that, in the investigator's judgment, would make it difficult for the participant to complete the study or complicate the interpretation of study results
Other
- Moderate to severe depression symptoms, defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 10 or higher
- Specific dietary habits or restrictions, such as being a vegan or vegetarian
- Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
Who the study is looking for
- Female participants aged between 20 and 50 years
- Body Mass Index (BMI) of 20 or higher
- Individuals who are capable of understanding the study procedures and providing voluntary informed consent
Age in the registry: 20 years to 50 years · Sex: Female · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul National University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Seoul | South Korea | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.