Study of Brief Mindfulness Training Combined With Vagal Nerve Stimulation to Reduce Alcohol Use in Young Adults Ages 21 to 29

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a brief mindfulness intervention combined with Respiratory-gated Auricular Vagal Afferent Nerve Stimulation RAVANS to help young adults who are heavy drinkers reduce their alcohol consumption. The study focuses on young adults aged 21 to 29 who consume high amounts of alcohol. Researchers will assess how these interventions affect autonomic nervous system regulation, alcohol use, and other clinical outcomes using heart rate variability and self-report surveys. Participants will first complete a one-week mindfulness practice involving daily 10-minute audio meditations. They will then attend two in-person lab visits spaced one week apart. During these visits, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active or inactive sham RAVANS device stimulation. Lab visits include surveys, heart rate variability measurements, exposure to alcohol-related visual cues, and sessions involving the RAVANS device alongside mindful breathing exercises. The active RAVANS delivers nerve stimulation linked to breathing, while the inactive version looks identical but does not provide electrical pulses. Throughout the study, participants will complete surveys online at baseline, during lab visits, and in a final virtual follow-up one week after the second lab visit. Heart rate variability will be monitored using wearable ECG sensors during resting periods and cue exposure tasks. Researchers will evaluate responses to alcohol-related stimuli and the impact of mindfulness and nerve stimulation on autonomic function. The total involvement spans approximately three weeks, including remote and in-person visits, with ongoing safety and acceptability assessments.

Exploring the Effects of Brief Mindfulness Training With Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Alcohol Cue Reactivity Among Young Adult Heavy Drinkers