---
title: Effect of Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Reducing Visually Induced Motion Sickness in Healthy Volunteers
nct_id: NCT02177890
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Visually Induced Motion Sickness in Healthy Volunteers
countries: United Kingdom
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT02177890.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02177890"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2015-12-02
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:53:47.785Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Effect of Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Reducing Visually Induced Motion Sickness in Healthy Volunteers

**NCT ID:** [NCT02177890](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02177890)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 25
- **Lead Sponsor:** Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology
- **Conditions:** Visually Induced Motion Sickness in Healthy Volunteers
- **Start Date:** 2014-11
- **Completion Date:** 2015-11
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2015-12-02

## Brief Summary

Nausea is a common and distressing experience that often precedes vomiting. Amongst symptoms emanating from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract nausea can be considered somewhat unique, as on one hand it represents a normal, highly conserved, physiological response to an ingested toxin yet on the other it may indicate pathology. Nausea may also arise as a consequence of pharmaco- and chemotherapeutic interventions. Nausea negatively impacts on quality of life, adherence to treatment and is a cause for discontinuation of the development of novel compounds. Experimentally, nausea can be induced in humans using a visually induced motion stimulus. Previously we have developed a 10-minute motion video of the landscape rotating as seen from the perspective of a subject standing on Westminster Bridge, London. The tilted and rotating view visual display makes the subject perceive that they are spinning round and round on a spot tilted away from centre of gravity due to circular vection. This motion video induced nausea in approximately 50% of healthy participants and caused a reduction in cardiac vagal tone, a validated measure of the parasympathetic nervous system branch on the autonomic nervous system. We therefore are evaluating the role of external transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation in visually induced motion sickness.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 75 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** Yes

```
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Healthy subjects, aged 18-65, from staff, students and local population of Queen Mary, University of London.
2. Inclusion will be determined on the basis of availability, with no prior selection bias included. They should be able to attend the Wingate Institute for at least 2 x 1 hour sessions.
3. Subjects who score \>15 on MSSQ (suggesting that they are sensitive to visually induced nausea).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects unable to provide informed consent.
2. Subjects with any systemic disease or medications that may influence the autonomic nervous system (e.g. beta-agonists or Parkinson's disease).
3. Subjects who score \<15 on MSSQ (suggesting that they are insensitive to visually induced nausea).
4. Pregnant females to prevent any confounding effects on pregnancy related nausea.
```

## Arms

- **Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Active vagal nerve stimulation to the left auricular branch of the vagus nerve
- **Sham vagal nerve stimulation** (PLACEBO_COMPARATOR) — Placebo vagal nerve stimulation - stimulator attached to the ear but rotated 180 degrees so that it is not stimulating the vagus nerve.

## Interventions

- **Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation** (DEVICE)
- **Sham vagal nerve stimulation** (DEVICE)

## Primary Outcomes

- **Reduction of the subjective sensation of nausea on a visual analogue scale** _(time frame: 10 minutes)_

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Effect of transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation on cardiac vagal tone** _(time frame: 10 minutes)_
- **Tolerability of transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation** _(time frame: 10 minutes)_

## Locations (1)

- Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology, London, London, United Kingdom

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.wingate institute of neurogastroenterology|london|london|united kingdom` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT02177890.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02177890*  
*This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*