2025-08-05 ユニバーシティ・カレッジ・ロンドン(UCL)
<関連情報>
- https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/aug/small-electric-shocks-ear-can-boost-self-compassion-meditation-training
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/electroceutical-enhancement-of-selfcompassion-training-using-transcutaneous-vagus-nerve-stimulation-results-from-a-preregistered-fully-factorial-randomized-controlled-trial/A43D761A9BE98F82C4F77FF452A4EB8B
経皮的迷走神経刺激を用いた自己慈愛トレーニングの電気的強化:事前登録された完全因子設計ランダム化比較試験の結果 Electroceutical enhancement of self-compassion training using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation: results from a preregistered fully factorial randomized controlled trial
Sunjeev K. Kamboj,Matthew Peniket,Jessica Norman,Rosalind Robshaw,Amit Soni-Tricker,Caroline Falconer,Paul Gilbert and Louise Simeonov
Psychological Medicine Published:04 August 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291725101013
Abstract
Background
Physiological signals conveyed by the vagus nerve may generate quiescent psychological states conducive to contemplative practices. This suggests that vagal neurostimulation could interact with contemplative psychotherapies (e.g. mindfulness and compassion-based interventions) to augment their efficacy.
Methods
In a fully factorial experimental trial, healthy adults (n = 120) were randomized to transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) plus Self-Compassion-Mental-Imagery Training (SC-MIT) or alternative factorial combinations of stimulation (tVNS or sham) plus mental imagery training (MIT: SC-MIT or Control-MIT). Primary outcomes were self-reported state self-compassion, self-criticism, and heart rate variability (HRV). Exploratory outcomes included state mindfulness and oculomotor attentional bias to compassion-expressing faces. Most outcomes were assessed acutely on session 1 at the pre-stimulation (T1), peri-stimulation (T2), and post-MIT + stimulation (T3) timepoints, and after daily stimulation+MIT sessions (eight sessions).
Results
During session 1, a significant Timepoint × Stimulation × MIT interaction (p = 0.025) was observed, reflecting a larger acute T1→T3 increase in state self-compassion after tVNS+SC-MIT, with similar rapid effects on state mindfulness. Additionally, significant Session × MIT and Session × Stimulation interactions (p ≤ 0.027) on state mindfulness (but not self-compassion) suggested that tVNS+SC-MIT’s effects may accumulate across sessions for some outcomes. By contrast, changes in state self-criticism and compassion-related attentional bias were only moderated by MIT (not stimulation) condition. HRV was unaffected by stimulation or MIT condition.
Conclusion
tVNS augmented the effects of SC-MIT and might, therefore, be a useful strategy for enhancing meditation-based psychotherapies. Our findings also highlight the value of oculomotor attentional metrics as responsive markers of self-compassion training and the continued need for sensitive indices of successful vagal stimulation.
