PEMF Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Anxiety
What did this study find?
In this double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 485 volunteers received pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation targeting the vagus nerve. Anxiety scores fell significantly against placebo, and a 16 Hz signal produced the largest improvements, which the authors attribute to modulation of autonomic activity. The frequency-specific finding needs independent replication before it guides protocol design.
What are the details of this record?
- Full citation
- Evaluating PEMF vagus nerve stimulation through neck application: A randomized placebo study with volunteers. Taylor & Francis. 2025.
- Journal
- Taylor & Francis
- Study design
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Sample size and population
- 485 volunteers
- Evidence grade
- Grade B+ on the BioReg grading scale
- Reported findings
- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 485 volunteers. Significant anxiety reduction with 16 Hz frequency showing most substantial improvements. PEMF modulates autonomic activity.
- DOI
- No DOI recorded
- PubMed
- Not indexed in PubMed
- Related categories
- Anxiety (category grade B+)
A positive PEMF study is not evidence for a specific device unless the signal parameters studied, frequency, intensity, waveform, and exposure duration, are reasonably comparable to what that device produces. Where this record does not list those parameters, the source report did not publish them. See the grading methodology. Library last reviewed 2026-08-27.