ArticlePloS one2026
Evaluating the effect of bilateral transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on motor function recovery after stroke: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial protocol.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionPrevious studies have demonstrated that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an emerging approach for stroke rehabilitation and numerous studies have shown that VNS can promote motor function recovery and alleviate neurological deficits both in clinical and animal models. However, current clinical applications primarily involve invasive or unilateral stimulation with limited sample sizes and a focus mainly on upper limb function. Recent evidence indicates that bilateral transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (BtaVNS) may offer superior signal conduction and therapeutic outcomes compared with unilateral left transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (LtaVNS). To date, the efficacy and safety of BtaVNS for comprehensive limb motor rehabilitation after stroke remain underexplored. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a multicenter, randomized controlled trial evaluating BtaVNS in post-stroke patients with hemiplegic limb motor dysfunction. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a prospective, double-blind, multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 114 stroke patients diagnosed with hemiplegic limb motor dysfunction. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a BtaVNS group, a LtaVNS group, or a control group. All groups will receive routine post-stroke rehabilitative therapy, while the intervention groups will additionally receive non-invasive taVNS: either bilaterally or on the left ear only. The taVNS parameters will be set at 20 Hz frequency, 300 µs pulse width, and individually adjusted intensity (0.5-1 mA), delivered for 30 minutes per session, twice daily, six days per week for four weeks. The co-primary outcomes include the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity (FMA-LE). Secondary outcomes include the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Exploratory outcomes include neuroimaging evaluations using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Assessments will be conducted at baseline, after 2 weeks of treatment, after 4 weeks of treatment and at the 8-week follow-up. Safety and adverse events will be monitored throughout the study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2400093825.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.