Actively Recruiting
Microelectrode Recordings From the Vagus Nerve in Awake Humans
Led by University of Minnesota · Updated on 2026-04-20
60
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
143 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This Anchillary project uses a refined technique of ultrasound-guided microneurography of the human cervical vagus nerve, an approach developed by Professor Vaughan Macefield and used safely to-date in 44 prior study participants. The overall goal of this project is to build upon prior data obtained using this approach by undertaking a detailed neurophysiological investigation of the human vagus nerve and to identify the nerve fibers activated during vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in participants with implanted VNS devices in response to different stimulation parameters. In addition to providing data in unprecedented detail into the physiology of the human vagus nerve, this project will investigate different stimulus intensities, durations and frequencies that differentially excite myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers. These results will inform the CSP and guide future development of novel neural interfaces for VNS for various clinical applications.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Microelectrode Recordings From the Vagus Nerve in Awake Humans
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Participants aged 18 to 40 years
- English speaking
- Medicare covered or equivalent health insurance from a partner country
You will not qualify if you...
- Pregnant
- Smokes and is unwilling to abstain from smoking on the day of the experiment
- Inability or unwillingness to provide written informed consent
- Difficulty standing unassisted for 5 minutes during tilt-table testing
- Significant carotid artery plaque or intima-media thickness greater than 1 mm detected by ultrasound
- Vagus nerve not visible on ultrasound
- VNS electrodes not in a suitable location for microelectrode insertion
- Any other clinical reasons deemed by the investigators
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
K
Kathryn Vera, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Number of Arms
2
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