RESEARCH METHODS
taVNS Research Protocol and Reporting Checklist
Reproducible taVNS research depends on precise descriptions of the participants, hardware, stimulation protocol, comparator, outcomes, and analysis.
Source review · 19 October 2026 · Educational content
REFERENCE TABLE
Protocol record
01
Before enrollment
Record the research question, study design, eligibility criteria, sample-size rationale, intervention, comparator, outcomes, time points, and analysis plan. Trial registration or preregistration preserves the distinction between planned and exploratory analyses.
02
Hardware and stimulation
Identify the device, version, stimulation channel, electrode material and area, ear side, anatomical landmarks, active and reference contacts, waveform, frequency, pulse width, amplitude units, intensity procedure, ramping, duty cycle, session length, and schedule.
Document fitting, contact checks, impedance handling, training, adherence, deviations, and any software used to configure or record sessions.
03
Comparator, masking, and reporting
Describe the sham or control with the same precision as the active condition. Report participant and assessor masking, sensation checks, credibility measures, attrition, exclusions, missing data, adverse events, protocol deviations, and the relationship between registered and reported outcomes.
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Is a device name enough for replication?
No. Version, electrodes, placement, signal parameters, intensity method, and schedule are also required.
What belongs in a sham description?
Site, signal, sensation, timing, device behavior, masking method, and masking assessment.
Why record protocol deviations?
They show how delivered sessions differed from the planned intervention and help interpret outcomes.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Research behind this guide
These sources describe the wider research field and do not constitute product-specific evidence for NeuroThaw.
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