Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Enhance Memory in Aging
Stanford University
Summary
The aim of this study is to determine whether non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation enhances memory formation in cognitively healthy older adults and whether the effects of stimulation depend on gut and brain health.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 18-30 years or 65-80 years * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (visual acuity) * Fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant * Symptoms of memory loss * History of a neurological, psychiatric, or medical condition that could affect cognition or preclude MRI or pupillometry * Use of medications known to alter cognition * For older adults, neuropsychological performance that falls outside 1.5 standard deviations of age-adjusted norms and no self-reported memory or attention complaints
Interventions
- DeviceTranscutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS)
Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation will be delivered with a well-validated device. taVNS delivers stimulation on the left ear, with the placement of the stimulating electrode differing between the active and sham conditions. Stimulation will occur during each learning trial (total of 30 trials per phase).
Location
- Stanford UniversityStanford, California