Video Experimental Relacionado

Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Assessing Pupil-linked Changes in Locus Coeruleus-mediated Arousal Elicited by Trigeminal Stimulation

Assessing Pupil-linked Changes in Locus Coeruleus-mediated Arousal Elicited by Trigeminal Stimulation

Published on: November 26, 2019

Efectos de la estimulación no invasiva del nervio vago sobre la dilatación pupilar dependientes de la coincidencia

Cecilia Vezzani¹, Rae-Marie Breakspear¹, Lilly Thurn¹

¹Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany.

|February 25, 2026

Abstract:

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising tool to modulate motivation and affect, with prior studies showing greater pupil dilation compared to sham. However, sensory differences between conditions may confound results. In a randomized crossover study with 94 participants, we applied right-sided pulsed taVNS (1 s, 20 Hz, and 400 μs) and calibrated stimulation amplitude to match subjective sensation. Contrary to expectations, taVNS did not significantly increase pupil dilation versus sham. However, when participants perceived sham as less intense, taVNS effects were stronger. Differences in perceived sensation between taVNS and sham were mainly linked to sham-induced pupil dilation. Our findings suggest that right-sided pulsed taVNS only leads to greater pupil dilation when a sensory mismatch occurs, underscoring the difficulty of creating an effective sham.

Palabras clave:

Neurología afecto entidad observable del ojo procedimiento por dispositivo neurociencia sensorial

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