---
title: Improve speech clarity and walking
nct_id: NCT07588191
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: Universidade da Coruña
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07588191"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07588191"
last_fetched: "2026-05-20T14:06:33.258Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Improve speech clarity and walking

**Goal (in five words):** Improve speech clarity and walking

**Official Title:** Effects of Transcutaneous Stimulation of the Auricular Branch of the Vagus Nerve in Parkinson´s Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT07588191](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07588191)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Universidade da Coruña
- **Target Enrollment:** 46 participants
- **Start Date:** 2026-05
- **Completion Date:** 2026-09
- **Conditions:** Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS), Parkinson Disease (PD)
- **Interventions:** Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) of Vagus Nerve, Conventional Physical therapy, Conventional Speech Therapy, Sham Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation of Vagus Nerve
- **Intervention Types:** DEVICE, OTHER

## Summary For Families

They want to see if gentle electrical stimulation of the ear branch of the vagus nerve can improve hypokinetic dysarthria and related motor symptoms in people with mid-stage Parkinson's. The approach uses noninvasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, sending small electrical pulses to the auricular branch at the ear to modulate brain networks involved in speech and movement, delivered alongside conventional physical and speech therapy with a sham group for comparison; it is added to, not a replacement for, your regular dopaminergic meds. The trial is looking for people with idiopathic PD at Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 to 3 who have hypokinetic dysarthria, can walk independently for at least one minute and turn 180 degrees, are on stable dopaminergic therapy, and who do not have pacemakers, ear lesions, prior vagotomy, severe psychiatric illness, very high blood pressure, or a MoCA score under 21.

## Eligibility

- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Being a member of the Association or be interested in joining;
* Idiopathic PD diagnosis, stages 2-3 according to the Hoehn \& Yahr scale; confirmed by neurologist
* Ability to walk independently for at least 1 minute ant turn 180° without assistance;
* Exhibiting symptoms of hypokinetic dysarthria;
* On stable dopaminergic therapy for at least 1 month prior to the experiment

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any contraindication for taVNS (e.g., ear lesions, pacemakers, defibrillators, or other electronic devices)
* Previous vagotomy or previous application of electrical stimulation to the ear or brain, or treatment with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
* Voice or speech disorders caused by other medical conditions
* MoCA score below 21
* Psychotic symptoms or hallucinations; a diagnosis of psychiatric illness
* Systolic blood pressure above 160 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure above 100 mm Hg
* Inability to attend sessions;
* Concomitant neurological, orthopaedic, cardiac, respiratory or active medical/oncological condition that would affect participation
```

## Locations (1)

- Association of Parkinson´s Disease Galicia- Coruña, A Coruña, Spain _(43.3713, -8.3960)_
  - Alba Gómez-Rodríguez — (CONTACT) — +34 618950128 — logopedia3@parkinsongaliciacoruna.org
  - Alba Gómez-Rodríguez, Ph.D. student — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)
  - María Belén López-Ferreiro — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Sandra García González — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)
  - María Rodríguez Losada — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- Alicia Martínez-Rodríguez alicia.martinez@udc.es, Lecturer — (CONTACT) — +34 881015851 — alicia.martinez@udc.es
- Olalla Bello, Lecturer — (CONTACT) — +34 881015852 — olalla.bello@udc.es

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07588191*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07588191*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07588191*