Condition · Evidence Hub
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Stress & Performance
Does vagus nerve stimulation help with stress & performance? 14 human studies have investigated VNS for stress & performance, including 1 systematic review, 5 RCTs, and 8 controlled trials, published between 2005 and 2025, with 9 published since 2022. Studies use transcutaneous auricular (taVNS) and transcutaneous cervical (tcVNS) 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 · 5 RCTs · 8 controlled trials
Evidence by Tier
strongest → weakest
- 1Systematic reviews & meta-analyses
- 5Randomised controlled trials
- 8Controlled clinical trials
Stimulation Method
- 10taVNS
- 4tcVNS
Research Momentum
9 of 14 studies (64%) published since 2022 — an actively growing evidence base.
The studies
14 studies · strongest evidence firstEffects of Auricular Stimulation on Inflammatory Parameters: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Hua et al. · Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2025 · n = 1,122
systematic reviewstaVNSEffects of taVNS on physiological responses and cognitive performance during a mental stressor
Drost et al. · Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience · 2025 · n = 41
RCTstaVNSEffects of cervical transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (ctVNS) on military cognitive performance during sleep deprivation
Bottenheft et al. · Frontiers in Physiology · 2025 · n = 34
RCTstcVNSEffects of multisession prefrontal cortex tDCS or taVNS on stress, perceived stress and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized controlled study
dos Reis et al. · Frontiers in Psychology · 2024 · n = 100
RCTstaVNSTranscutaneous auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Median Nerve Stimulation reduce acute stress in young healthy adults: a single-blind sham-controlled crossover study
Sanchez-Perez et al. · Frontiers in Neuroscience · 2023 · n = 19
RCTstaVNSCervical transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (ctVNS) improves human cognitive performance under sleep deprivation stress
McIntire et al. · Communications Biology · 2021 · n = 40
RCTstcVNSTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation inhibits mental stress-induced cortisol release-Potential implications for inflammatory conditions
Cuberos Paredes et al. · Physiological reports · 2025 · n = 12
controlled trialstaVNSThe Effect of Transcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation and Transcutaneous Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation on the Biomarker Response to Stress
Roberts et al. · Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2025
controlled trialstaVNSEffect of adding noninvasive auricular Vagal nerve stimulation to exercise program on emotional eating and stress responsiveness in patient with metabolic syndrome
Elbanna et al. · Disability and rehabilitation · 2025
controlled trialstcVNSEffect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on stress-reactive neuroendocrine measures in a sample of persons with temporal lobe epilepsy
Doerr et al. · Epilepsia open · 2023
controlled trialstaVNSNoradrenergic Regulation of Cognitive Flexibility: No Effects of Stress, Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation, and Atomoxetine on Task-switching in Humans
Tona et al. · Journal of cognitive neuroscience · 2020 · n = 48
controlled trialstaVNSEffects of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation on autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to psychosocial stress in healthy humans
Carnevali et al. · Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2020 · n = 15
controlled trialstaVNSQuantifying acute physiological biomarkers of transcutaneous cervical vagal nerve stimulation in the context of psychological stress
Gurel et al. · Brain Stimulation · 2019 · n = 24
controlled trialstcVNSChanges in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis measures after vagus nerve stimulation therapy in chronic depression
O'Keane et al. · Biological psychiatry · 2005
controlled trialstaVNS