Can vagus nerve stimulation effectively treat chronic insomnia?

Study design: This randomized trial, conducted from October 2021 to December 2022 in Beijing, China, evaluated the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for chronic insomnia. Seventy-two patients with chronic insomnia (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] ≥8) were randomly assigned to either the active taVNS group or a sham group. Both groups received 30-minute stimulations twice daily, five days a week, for eight weeks, followed by a 12-week follow-up.

Results: While both groups experienced statistically significant improvements from before to after the intervention, the taVNS group had a clinically meaningful 4.2-point reduction in PSQI score compared with the sham group (minimally clinically important difference, 2.5 points). Improvements in secondary outcomes, such as mental health and fatigue, were also observed. The benefits of taVNS were sustained over the 20-week study period.

Impact on clinical practice: taVNS appears to be an effective, safe, non-pharmacological treatment for chronic insomnia. However, future multicenter clinical trials with large sample sizes are needed to validate its effectiveness across diverse populations.

Source:

Zhang S, et al. (2024, December 2). JAMA Netw Open. Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Insomnia Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39680406/