Short trains of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) have parameter-specific effects on heart rate.

Background: Optimal parameters of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) are still undetermined. Given the vagus nerve's role in regulating heart rate (HR), it is important to determine safety and HR effects of various taVNS parameters.

Objective: We conducted two sequential trials to systematically test the effects of various taVNS parameters on HR.