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. 2024 Jul 4;18:1405310. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1405310

Table 1.

Summary of taVNS studies for tinnitus.

References Numbers Characteristics Intervention and treatment Treatment duration Main site Stimulation parameters Stimulation durations Evaluation indicators Conclusions
Kreuzer et al. (2014) 50 Chronic tinnitus symptom duration≥6 m, TQ ≥ 31 TaVNS 24 weeks Left tragus 0.1–10 mA, 25 Hz 4–6 h/day THI, TQ, TBF-12, BDI, CGI-CHANGE, WHOQOL, Loudness 1. The data demonstrate the feasibility of taVNS over a period of 6 months.
2. The use of taVNS for the treatment of tinnitus cannot be recommended in its current form.
3.The data suggest taVNS to be considered safe in patients without a history of cardiac disease.
Ylikoski et al. (2020) 78 Tinnitus-related mental stress TaVNS with standard tinnitus therapy 1 year Left tragus 0.3–3 mA, 25 Hz 60–90 min/day, 5 days a week The clinical features, psychophysiological characteristics, and results of the HRV tests

  1. Tinnitus-related mental stress is an example of a stress condition in which patients may benefit from taVNS.

  2. As revealed by HRV, test-taVNS improved parasympathetic function, most efficiently in patients with a low starting HRV level.

  3. TaVNS, effectively alleviated tinnitus stress and handicap.
Tutar et al. (2020) 60 Chronic subjective tinnitus duration≥3 m A: taVNS one ear
B: taVNS both ears
C: taVNS no
electrical or sound stimulated		 10 times Cymba conchae 10–30 mA, 200 Hz 30 min DASS-21, THI TaVNS has a therapeutic effect on subjective chronic tinnitus as well as a placebo effect.
Raj-Koziak et al. (2024) 29 Chronic subjective tinnitus duration≥6 m A: taVNS paired with sounds
B: blank control		 12 weeks Left tragus 25 Hz, 250 ms 1 h Audiological evaluation, quantitative EEG, THI, STS, VAS

  1. The taVNS was not effective in reducing tinnitus symptoms.

  2. Changes in the theta band suggest there might be cortical effects that might, with sustained treatment, lead to improvements.
Peng et al. (2018) 24 Healthy subjects aged between 28 and 38 years A: taVNS auricular acupoints
B: taVNS anterior stimulation
C: taVNS sham group		 1 time Kindey (CO10), Yidan (CO11), Liver (CO12) and Shenmen (TF4) 4–8 mA, 20 Hz 420 s Heart rate, blood pressure, fMRI data from the cortices

  1. TaVNS was an effective input that

directly regulates the central auditory pathway.

  1. TaVNS at acupoints CO10-12, TF4 could activate the prefrontal, auditory and limbic cortices of healthy brain and this scheme could be a promising tool for tinnitus treatment.
Yakunina et al. (2018) 36 Chronic tinnitus duration≥3 m TaVNS 6 times Inner tragus and cymba conchae 0.1–1.8 mA, 25 Hz 5 min FMRI to explore brain activity

  1. TaVNS of the inner tragus and cymba conchae in patients with tinnitus successfully suppressed the auditory, limbic, and other brain areas implicated in the mechanisms involved in the generation/perception of tinnitus via auditory and vagal ascending pathways.

  2. TaVNS can potentially assist in reducing the generation and perception of tinnitus symptoms.

TQ, Tinnitus Questionnaire; TaVNS, Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation; THI, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory; TBF-12, Tinnitus Impairment Questionnaire (TBF-12); BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; CGI, Clinical Global Impression; WHOQOL, The World Health Organization Quality of Life; HRV, Heart rate variability; DASS-21, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21; EEG, Electroencephalography; STS, The Skarzynski Tinnitus Scale; VAS, The Visual Analog Scale; FMRI, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.