An interventional study of Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in Parkinson Disease, sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-01.
Sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
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 depression. The investigators hypothesize that taVNS will improve depression and cortical activity in Parkinson's disease patients with depression.
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 depression 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.
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This study recruited right-handed subjects from the Department of Neurology, Huai'an Second People's Hospital. The inclusion criteria for patients with PD and depression were as follows: diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease based on the clinical diagnostic criteria of the Movement Disorder Society; diagnosis of depressive disorder in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), with a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score ≥ 8; stable medication regimens for Parkinson's disease for at least one month prior to enrollment; aged 40 to 80 years; and voluntary participation with written informed consent. In addition, age- and gender-matched non-depressed PD patients and healthy controls were enrolled to further compare brain functional characteristics among different groups.
Exclusion Criteria:
presence of cognitive impairment defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \< 23; ongoing use of antidepressant medications; presence of contraindications related to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS); receipt of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) treatment within the past month; and comorbid severe neurological, renal, cardiovascular or hepatic diseases.
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.
Device: Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
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.
Device: Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation: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 stimulation:Two modified dot-like electrodes delivered the stimulation to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. The stimulation paradigm was identical to that of the real stimulation group. The stimulation intensity was set as the maximum value the patient could tolerate without causing pain.
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.
change of Hamilton Depression Scale Score
Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D score), which was used for assessing the degree of Depression.The differences in HAMD score before and after treatment can be used to evaluate the effect of taVNS treatment
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention,2 weeks post intervention
change of Hamilton Depression Scale Score Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-D score), which was used for assessing the degree of anxiety.The differences in HAMD score before and after treatment can be used to evaluate the effect of taVNS treatment
Time frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention#2 weeks post intervention
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Plan to share: No
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The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University