Table 1.

Rating of stimulation. Participants were divided into three groups: Verum vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) at the cymba concha of the left ear, sham stimulation (Sham) at the helix and a control group (Control), in which the stimulator was applied to the cymba concha but never switched on. All participants rated their conviction of the stimulation efficacy (0 = not convinced, 10 = very convinced), the operability of the stimulation (0 = stimulation did not work, 10 = stimulation worked well), and the valence of the stimulation (0 = unpleasant, 10 = pleasant). #Difference of VNS and Sham group. ⁺Difference of VNS and Control group. ^~Difference of Sham and Control group.

	VNS	Sham	Control	statistics
Conviction (SD)	5.68 (0.36)	6.44 (0.43)	5.24 (0.47)	p = 0.130
Operability (SD)	7.20 (0.44)	8.36 (0.40)	6.68 (0.53)	p = 0.035*,~
Valence (SD)	5.20 (0.40)	6.84 (0.43)	6.84 (0.56)	p = 0.020*,#,+

*p < 0.05.