经皮迷走神经刺激注意力和记忆力 (taVNS)

Participants will receive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) using electrodes placed on the left ear. A low-level electrical current will be delivered to stimulate the vagus nerve. This stimulation is designed to activate brain areas involved in attention and memory.

taVNS does not require surgery or medication, offering a safe and accessible treatment option. Each participant undergoes both an active taVNS session and a sham (placebo) session. Sham stimulation mimics the sensory experience of taVNS but does not deliver electrical currents to the vagus nerve, ensuring blinding and providing robust comparisons. The study is completed in a single visit lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, minimizing participant burden.

Soterix Medical min-CT VNS device is used for non-invasive stimulation procedures and trials. It has blinding features such as single-blind for this study in which patients will either receive active or shame taVNS.

Participants will undergo sham stimulation, where electrodes are placed on the left ear to mimic the experience of active taVNS. However, no electrical current will be delivered to the vagus nerve. This sham condition enables a direct comparison with active taVNS, ensuring that any observed changes in working memory and attention can be attributed to the taVNS intervention.

taVNS does not require surgery or medication, offering a safe and accessible treatment option. Each participant undergoes both an active taVNS session and a sham (placebo) session. Sham stimulation mimics the sensory experience of taVNS but does not deliver electrical currents to the vagus nerve, ensuring blinding and providing robust comparisons. The study is completed in a single visit lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, minimizing participant burden.

Soterix Medical min-CT VNS device is used for non-invasive stimulation procedures and trials. It has blinding features such as single-blind for this study in which patients will either receive active or shame taVNS.

Aim 1:

To evaluate the effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on sustained attention and working memory. Attention and memory performance will be assessed using the Gradual Onset Continuous Performance Task (gradCPT), a validated computerized test that measures the ability to sustain attention and respond selectively to relevant stimuli. This cognitive test measures sustained attention and inhibitory control. During the test, subjects view a continuous stream of gradually fading images of cities and mountains on a computer screen. They are instructed to press the space bar when they see a city (target stimulus) and withhold responses when they see a mountain (non-target stimulus). Key performance metrics which collectively assess attention and working memory in this test include mean reaction time (response speed), omission errors (failure to respond to targets), and commission errors (responses to non-targets).

Aim 2: To investigate the effects of taVNS on heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of autonomic nervous system activity. HRV will be measured in milliseconds using a lightweight, wearable chest device capable of capturing continuous heart rate data. Key HRV metrics, including standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), will be analyzed before, during, and after active and sham taVNS sessions to assess physiological responses to stimulation.