Randomised Controlled TrialtaVNSn = 32

Ready for translation: non-invasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation inhibits psychophysiological indices of stimulus-specific fear and facilitates responding to repeated exposure in phobic individuals

Szeska C, Klepzig K, Hamm AO, Weymar M

Translational Psychiatry · 2025

Key finding

In spider-phobic individuals, taVNS inhibited fear responses to previously exposed stimuli and facilitated behavioural improvement across repeated exposure sessions.

Condition
PTSD
Stimulation
taVNS
Evidence tier
Randomised Controlled Trial
Participants
32
View on DOI

Cite this study

Szeska, C., Klepzig, K., Hamm, A. O., & Weymar, M. (2025). Ready for translation: non-invasive auricular vagus nerve stimulation inhibits psychophysiological indices of stimulus-specific fear and facilitates responding to repeated exposure in phobic individuals. Translational Psychiatry, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03352-0

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