Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning
Published on: August 21, 2015
Vagus nerve stimulation alters task-evoked pupillary responses in older but not younger adults: A single-blind active
Elizabeth Riley1, Genevieve Wager1, Samantha Rahman1
1Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Introduction:
The locus coeruleus (LC) undergoes age-related changes and is involved in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may modulate LC activity and could be used therapeutically, but age-related differences in VNS responses remain unexplored.
Methods:
We used a single-blind, sham-controlled, crossover design in 41 participants (21 younger, 20 older adults). Participants completed a visual oddball task with pupillometry during transcutaneous auricular VNS (verum: cymba concha; sham: earlobe) with ≈ 30 minutes of washout between conditions.
Results:
Older adults showed smaller baseline pupil diameter but larger normalized task-evoked responses than younger adults a priori. VNS produced age-specific effects: older adults demonstrated increased tonic pupil size throughout stimulation and reduced oddball-evoked responses, with stronger effects with more current. Younger adults showed no consistent VNS effects.
Discussion:
VNS affects LC-related physiological measures differently across age groups, with older adults showing more robust responses. These age-specific effects may reflect different baseline LC activity states.
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