Accrued reductions in heart rate following transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition marked by chronic autonomic dysregulation, including heightened arousal and increased heart rate, contributing to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). tcVNS has been shown in prior work to decrease arousal and reduce heart rate in participants with PTSD during stimulation and 2-3 min afterward. No studies have investigated effects of tcVNS on objective physiological markers such as heart rate over hour-long timescales.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of active versus sham tcVNS on heart rate responses to stress in traumatized individuals with and without PTSD undergoing a 3 h traumatic stress reminder protocol. Understanding the effects of tcVNS on heart rate over ext

SUBMITTER: Sundararaj S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11985822 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature