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Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder marked by upper-gastrointestinal discomfort, altered digestion and reduced quality of life. This study examined whether transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), delivered to the auricular conchae, could improve FD symptoms and modulate brain networks linked to autonomic regulation, interoception and affect.
Study Overview
Twenty-one adults with FD self-administered taVNS at home for 30 minutes twice daily over eight weeks, while 30 healthy controls were enrolled for baseline comparison. The stimulation sites were located in the auricular conchae, with the paper noting stimulation of the cymba concha region and highlighting stomach-related, abdominal-related, and sympathetic auricular areas relevant to digestive and autonomic regulation.
Treatment used a low-frequency pulse device in electroacupuncture mode with sparse-dense waves at 4/20Hz, pulse width of 0.2ms, and current adjusted to patient tolerance at 3-8mA without sharp pain. Outcomes included resting-state functional MRI, the Nepean Dyspepsia Symptom Index, Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index, and Hamilton anxiety and depression scales.
Key Findings
At baseline, FD patients had significantly higher anxiety and depression scores than healthy controls, and showed increased functional connectivity between the left dorsal anterior insula and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. After eight weeks of taVNS, dyspepsia symptoms improved significantly, quality-of-life scores increased, and anxiety and depression scores were reduced.
Brain imaging also showed decreased functional connectivity between insular subregions and multiple regions including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, amygdala, parahippocampus, middle and inferior frontal gyri, and visual cortical areas.
The authors interpret these findings as consistent with modulation of insula-centered networks involved in symptom perception, emotional regulation and autonomic processing.
Clinical Relevance for Acupuncture Practitioners
This study adds useful mechanistic support for auricular stimulation in patients with digestive symptoms accompanied by stress-related or affective features. For practitioners, the paper offers practical detail on treatment dosage: bilateral auricular clip stimulation, 30 minutes twice daily for eight weeks, with intensity adjusted to a tolerable but perceptible level. It also supports the clinical rationale for combining auricular regions associated with digestive function and autonomic regulation, rather than using auricular treatment solely for general calming effects.
Conclusion
In this small pilot study, taVNS was associated with improved dyspepsia symptoms, better quality of life, and reduced anxiety and depression scores in patients with functional dyspepsia. These clinical changes were accompanied by altered insula-centered functional connectivity, suggesting a possible central mechanism for auricular stimulation in FD. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the role of taVNS in clinical practice.
Reference
- Luo Y, Wang Z, Wang Y, et al. Insula modulation effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation treating functional dyspepsia. J Affect Disord, 2026;405:121484.
