Enhancement of Reading Comprehension Using Auricular Vagal Neuromodulation Therapy (AVNT)

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of Nurosym’s Auricular Vagus Nerve Therapy (AVNT) on reading comprehension skills through a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial. Participants receiving active Nurosym stimulation showed significant improvements in reading comprehension scores, speed performance in automaticity learning tasks, and accuracy in decoding tasks compared to the placebo group. The results suggest that Nurosym enhances cognitive function by boosting parasympathetic activity and activating brain regions associated with cognitive control and motor learning, thereby improving comprehension skills and learning processes.

Background and aims

Research connects enhanced cognitive function with the parasympathetic nervous system, while cognitive decline is frequently linked to excessive activity in the sympathetic nervous system. Stimulating the vagus nerve with Nurosym, as evidenced by numerous studies, consequently enhances nervous system function by boosting parasympathetic activity, which may further have potential to modulate comprehension ability. The aim of the study was to investigate Nurosym’s AVNT in improving reading comprehension skills. Nurosym's multifaceted activation of brain regions, which amplifies neural signalling, may have important clinical implications for individuals grappling with reading challenges, thus fostering improvements in general cognitive abilities and facilitating enhanced learning processes.

Methods

The study employed a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial design. Participants recruited for the study were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or active Nurosym neuromodulation while reading short passages aloud. Stimulation commenced at the beginning of each passage reading session and ceased upon completion of the passage. Following each passage, participants answered a series of test questions assessing comprehension and understanding of content. Additionally, reading mechanisms and reading errors were calculated. Two-tailed independent samples t-tests were employed to compare the placebo stimulation and active Nurosym neuromodulation groups.

Results

Pairing Nurosym neuromodulation with training was particularly noticeable in terms of improved scores on all reading test questions. Neuromodulation during reading short passages led to enhanced speed performance in the automaticity learning task. Additionally, it significantly improved accuracy, as measured by the percentage of correct responses, in the decoding learning task compared to controls. Although neuromodulation did not alter the mechanical aspects of reading, it indicates a significant improvement in comprehension skills.

The Nurosym group exhibited a significant improvement in reading comprehension scores compared to the placebo group (29%, *p < 0.05). Pairing Nurosym neuromodulation with training notably enhanced speed performance in the Automaticity learning task (significantly, *p < 0.05) compared to placebo controls. Furthermore, Nurosym neuromodulation significantly enhanced accuracy, as measured by the percentage of correct responses, in the Decoding learning task compared to controls (*p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Nurosym's effectiveness in enhancing a variety of reading skills, including speech sound perception and letter sound learning, demonstrates improved comprehension skills at an advanced level. The heightened precision in question responses is attributed to the activation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which extends its influence to specific brain regions associated with the strengthening of cognitive capabilities. These changes indicate improved functionality of key brain regions involved in cognitive control and motor learning.