NCT06304389

Effect of Blue Light on Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Patients With Refractory Epilepsy

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 34 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for refractory epilepsy. Although widely used, there is still a substantial number of patients with insufficient response. Light, and particularly blue light, can stimulate alertness, attention and cognition through modulation of anatomical targets which are common to the vagal afferent network. This project aims at understanding how exposure to blue enriched light may influence VNS effects in patients with refractory epilepsy by exploring the modulation of a series of biomarkers of VNS action. This could possibly lead to new therapeutic strategies to increase efficacy of VNS.

Conditions

• Refractory Epilepsy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	electroencephalography, electrocardiogram, pupillometry, evoked potentials, light administration	Recording of the electrical activity of the brain, of the heart. Pupil size will be analyzed. The effect of blue light administration will be assessed on those parameters.
OTHER	transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, electroencephalography, pupillometry, electrocardiogram, light administration	Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation will be performed in helathy subjects, as well as the recording of the electrical activity of the brain, and of the heart. Pupil size will be analyzed. The effect of blue light administration will be assessed on those parameters.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-07-01
• Primary completion: 2023-07-01
• Completion: 2026-04-01
• First posted: 2024-03-12
• Last updated: 2025-09-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium