Status:

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Treatment of SSD With tcVNS and taVNS

Lead Sponsor:

National Taiwan University Hospital

Collaborating Sponsors:

Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan

Conditions:

Somatic Symptom Disorder

Anxiety

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-65 years

Phase:

NA

Brief Summary

This study aims to compare two non-invasive nerve stimulation devices, gammaCore and Nurosym, to find out which one is more effective in reducing physical discomfort and health-related anxiety in pati...

Detailed Description

Official Title: Treatment of Somatic Symptom Disorder with Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Meets the diagnostic criteria for Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), as determined by a diagnostic interview with a board-certified psychiatrist.
  • The participant must be receiving stable, routine medical care throughout the trial period.
  • No adjustments to psychiatric or cardiovascular medications for at least one week prior to the start of the study.

Exclusion

  • Age below 18 or above 65 years.
  • Presence of psychotic symptoms, such as in comorbid schizophrenia.
  • Significant cognitive impairment (e.g., diagnosed dementia or intellectual disability) or difficulty completing the study questionnaires.
  • History of cervical vagotomy.
  • Presence of severe cardiovascular diseases, including: clinically significant tachycardia (resting heart rate \>100 bpm) or bradycardia (resting heart rate \<60 bpm); clinically significant hypertension (systolic \>160 mmHg or diastolic \>100 mmHg) or hypotension (blood pressure \<90/60 mmHg or mean arterial pressure \<65 mmHg); severe coronary artery disease; carotid atherosclerosis or stenosis; aneurysm; congestive heart failure; severe cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., prolonged QT interval, second- or third-degree atrioventricular block, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, recent ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, clinically significant premature ventricular contractions); or myocardial infarction within the last five years.
  • Presence of severe neurological conditions, including severe head trauma, history of epilepsy, brain tumor, or cerebral hemorrhage.
  • Current diagnosis of cancer.
  • Presence of any active implanted medical devices (e.g., cochlear implant, ventricular shunt, implantable vagus nerve stimulator, pacemaker) or non-active implants that may interact with the nervous system (e.g., metal stents, bone plates, screws).
  • Anatomical abnormalities in the neck.
  • Currently pregnant.
  • Wearing jewelry near the tragus that cannot be removed before using the tVNS device.
  • Severe skin disease at the stimulation sites.
  • Known allergy to conductive gel materials.
  • Any other major medical condition that, in the investigator's judgment, could potentially affect the safety or efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation.

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

November 17 2025

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ESTIMATED

End Date :

December 31 2028

Estimated Enrollment :

60 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT07198542

Start Date

November 17 2025

End Date

December 31 2028

Last Update

December 12 2025

Active Locations (1)

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Page 1 of 1 (1 locations)

1

Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch

Douliu, Yunlin, Taiwan, 640