Brain Activity and Ear Stimulation Study
This study is looking for healthy men and women, aged 18 and older, to understand how gentle stimulation of different points on the ear affects brain activity. You would have plastic filaments gently touch specific spots on your ears, which you'll feel but shouldn't be painful. During this, a special cap with infra-red light sensors will measure your brain activity. The main goal is to see if stimulating different ear points leads to different brain responses. This study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and aims to enroll 80 participants.
- Study design
- This is an interventional study with 80 planned participants. It is a single-visit study.
- What's involved
- You would participate in a single visit where your ears are gently stimulated and your brain activity is measured.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Brain responses will be measured at 10 minutes after stimulation.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy of Auricular Stimulation
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesStudy leadership
- Keith Vogt, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Pittsburgh
Who to contact
Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.
What this trial measures
- fNIRS response, Lumbar spine vs. thumb auricular points10 minutes
Calculated T-statistic for contrast of analyzed fNIRS signal change, comparing responses from stimulation of the ipsilateral ear at the auricular points corresponding to the lumbar-spine vs. thumb. A T-statistic of 0 indicates no difference; more positive scores mean stronger fNIRS signal change with stimulation of the lumbar point, compared to stimulation of the thumb point; more negative scores mean change with stimulation of the thumb, compared to the lumbar spine. This outcome is a number reflecting the overall magnitude of difference between stimulation points, calculated in one summary statistic. Dispersion measures cannot be calculated for the T-statistic in this analysis framework.