Feasibility of Noninvasive Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation During Exercise

June 30, 2026 updated by: Johns Hopkins University

Noninvasive Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation for Dyspnea: Mechanistic Characterization in Healthy Volunteers and Feasibility in COPD

The purpose of this study is to examine 1) effects of cutaneous electrical trigeminal nerve stimulation (eTNS) on respiratory control in healthy volunteers and 2) explore the potential of this approach to mitigate dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Arm1 - Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18-50 years
  • BMI 18-30 kg/m²
  • Ability to provide informed consent and complete study procedures in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current daytime respiratory impairment such as uncontrolled asthma, uncontrolled COPD, pneumonia, or interstitial lung disease
  • Use of supplemental oxygen
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Current use of acetazolamide, Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, or daily opioids
  • History of claustrophobia or panic disorder
  • Metallic implants in the craniofacial or cervical region that may interfere with electrode placement or electrical stimulation
  • Implanted cardiac or neuroelectric device (e.g., pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), deep brain stimulator, vagus nerve stimulator, implanted drug pump)
  • Open, broken, inflamed, infected, or healing skin lesions at or near facial electrode placement sites
  • Resting heart rate <60 Beats Per Minute
  • History of seizure disorder or epilepsy

Arm 2 -COPD

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 40-75 years
  • Confirmed diagnosis of COPD by spirometry (post-bronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1) /Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) <0.70) or provider documentation in medical records
  • Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea grade ≥2
  • Stable COPD (no exacerbation requiring hospitalization, systemic corticosteroids, or antibiotic therapy within the preceding 6 weeks)
  • On stable COPD therapy for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment
  • Ability to provide informed consent and complete questionnaires in English
  • Resting Peripheral Capillary Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) ≥88% on room air or prescribed supplemental oxygen

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unstable cardiovascular disease (e.g., unstable angina, decompensated heart failure, recent MI within 6 months, uncontrolled arrhythmia) or peripheral vascular disease
  • Patients with cardiovascular disease, including chest pain, heart failure, and aortic stenosis
  • Resting heart rate <60 BPM
  • Implanted cardiac or neuroelectric device (e.g., pacemaker, ICD, deep brain stimulator, vagus nerve stimulator, implanted drug pump)
  • Metallic implants in the craniofacial or cervical region that may interfere with electrode placement or stimulation
  • Open, broken, inflamed, infected, or healing skin lesions at or near facial electrode placement sites
  • Active trigeminal neuralgia or other cranial neuropathy
  • History of seizure disorder or epilepsy
  • Severe or uncontrolled psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychosis, severe untreated anxiety or panic disorder) that would impair the ability to participate
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • COPD exacerbation requiring hospitalization, systemic corticosteroids, or antibiotics within the preceding 3 months
  • Musculoskeletal pain, injury, or any other condition that precludes the use of a stationary bike for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)
  • Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise participant safety or data integrity

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Healthy Volunteers
Procedure: Active Stimulation
Active Non-Invasive Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation
Procedure: Sham Stimulation
Sham Stimulation
Experimental: Participants With COPD
Procedure: Active Stimulation
Active Non-Invasive Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation
Procedure: Sham Stimulation
Sham Stimulation
Procedure: Fan therapy
Handheld fan

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of participants with a >4 bpm decrease in heart rate
Time Frame: 1 day
Trigeminal autonomic engagement. Proportion of participants with a >4 bpm decrease in heart rate during active eTNS compared to sham stimulation.
1 day
Proportion of enrolled participants who complete all randomized stimulation conditions
Time Frame: 1 day
Protocol completion rate measured by proportion of enrolled participants who complete all randomized stimulation conditions.
1 day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Minute Ventilation
Time Frame: 1 day
Minute Ventilation
1 day
Dyspnea severity as assessed by the Borg CR10 scale
Time Frame: 1 day
Borg CR10 score before and during stimulation. Scale range 0-10 higher score worse severity
1 day

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in heart rate
Time Frame: 1 day
changes in heart rate in response to stimulation
1 day
Change in heart rate variability
Time Frame: 1 day
changes in heart rate variability in response to stimulation
1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Johns Hopkins University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Luu Pham, MD, Johns Hopkins University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB00551380

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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