Condition · Evidence Hub
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Addiction
Does vagus nerve stimulation help with addiction? 6 human studies have investigated VNS for addiction, including 1 systematic review, 1 RCT, and 4 controlled trials, published between 2020 and 2025, with 5 published since 2022. Studies use transcutaneous cervical (tcVNS) and transcutaneous auricular (taVNS) stimulation. Findings vary by study design and population; the studies below are ranked by evidence strength so you can weigh the research directly.
1 systematic review · 1 RCT · 4 controlled trials
Evidence by Tier
strongest → weakest
- 1Systematic reviews & meta-analyses
- 1Randomised controlled trials
- 4Controlled clinical trials
Stimulation Method
- 4tcVNS
- 2taVNS
Research Momentum
5 of 6 studies (83%) published since 2022 — an actively growing evidence base.
The studies
6 studies · strongest evidence firstNon-invasive brain stimulation modalities for the treatment and prevention of opioid use disorder: a systematic review of the literature
Young et al. · Journal of addictive diseases · 2020
systematic reviewstaVNSTranscutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation reduces behavioral and physiological manifestations of withdrawal in patients with opioid use disorder: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study
Gazi et al. · Brain Stimulation · 2022 · n = 21
RCTstcVNSNoninvasive vagal nerve stimulation reduces withdrawal-related affective distress and improves functional outcomes in alcohol use disorder - A feasibility and acceptability pilot study
Klaming et al. · Neuromodulation · 2025 · n = 19
controlled trialstcVNSPupillary response to percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in alcohol withdrawal syndrome: A pilot trial
Treiber et al. · Alcohol · 2024 · n = 30
controlled trialstaVNSLeveraging Accelerometry as a Prognostic Indicator for Increase in Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
Lambert et al. · Biosensors · 2022 · n = 23
controlled trialstcVNSTranscutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Respiratory Variability in the Context of Opioid Withdrawal
Gazi et al. · IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics · 2022 · n = 21
controlled trialstcVNS