Evaluating Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Disorders of Consciousness in Adults Aged 18 to 70

What this Trial Is About

Disorders of consciousness DoC include serious conditions like Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome and Minimally Conscious State, which follow severe brain injuries and affect awareness and cognition. These conditions are challenging to diagnose and treat, with many new cases each year in China. Researchers are studying the effects of a non-invasive brain stimulation method called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation taVNS, which has shown potential in treating various neurological conditions and may help improve awareness in patients with DoC. In this single-arm trial, 20 patients with DoC will receive taVNS treatments twice daily for 10 consecutive days, totaling 20 sessions. The stimulation is applied to the left cymba conchae of the ear using a silicone electrode, delivering pulse trains at 100 Hz with 400 paired pulses per session. This study aims to explore the therapeutic role of taVNS by comparing patients conditions before and after the treatment period. Participants will be assessed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised CRS-R to measure changes in behavioral responses immediately after the 10-day treatment. Researchers will also record resting-state high-density EEG and combined transcranial magnetic stimulation with EEG TMS-EEG to study brain activity changes. The study will provide important information to guide treatment choices for patients with disorders of consciousness, with all evaluations conducted during the treatment period and immediately after.

Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Patients With Disorders of Consciousness