Skip to main content
ISPRM 2026 Main banner
Final Program


Final Congress Guide

Therapeutics

1000 Section - Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (AVNT): A Non-invasive Approach to Improving Cognitive Function, Sleep, and Inflammatory Status in Older Adults

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

    Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • AV

    Amalia T. Vancea, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Ovidius University Constanta
    Constanta, Constanta, Romania

    • Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • MI

    Madalina G. Iliescu, PhD

    Professor
    Ovidius University
    Constanta, Constanta, Romania

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • AL

    Andreea Lupu, PhD

    Senior Lecturer
    Techirghiol Balneal and Recovery Sanatorium
    Techirghiol, Constanta, Romania

    • Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • LS

    Luiza Spiru, PhD

    Professor
    Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy
    Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • LN

    Lorena Ninca, MD

    Medical Resident
    Techirghiol Balneal and Recovery Sanatorium
    Techirghiol, Constanta, Romania

  • AN

    Andreea Ninca, MD

    Medical Resident
    Techirghiol Balneal and Recovery Sanatorium
    Techirghiol, Constanta, Romania

  • LS

    Liliana Stanciu, PhD

    Senior Lecturer
    Techirghiol Balneal and Recovery Sanatorium
    Techirghiol, Constanta, Romania

Objectives : 1. To evaluate the effect of AVNT (Auricular Vagal Neuromodulator Therapy) on sleep quality in older adults.
2. To analize the impact on inflammatory markers of AVNT 
3. To analize the impact of AVNT on cognitive frailty

Design:

 

 

 

Randomized, placebo-controlled study, lasting 10–12 days,

including 80 patients ≥ 60 years.

AVNT group: 40 patients, 1 hour/day with the Nurosym device.

Sham group: 40 patients, placebo stimulation applied to the

earlobe.

Baseline and final assessments:

Sleep: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Inflammation: CRP , IL-6, TNF-α.

Cognition: MoCA-B, Edmonton Frailty Scale, Rapid Cognitive

Screen.

Randomization was double-blind 


Results:

 

Inflammation: greater reductions in markers were observed in the AVNT group. 

Cognition: MoCA-B improvements in attention, executive function, and delayed recall.

Sleep: better PSQI scores, with reduced fragmentation and improved perceived test 

Conclusion:

After only 10 days of application, AVNT showed benefits on inflammation, cognition, and sleep. This non-invasive method may become a valuable complementary strategy for preventing cognitive frailty and supporting healthy aging. Longer-term studies are required to confirm these effects.