{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T07:48:23Z","timestamp":1785743303421,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":62,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781827200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781827200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["The Journal of Physiology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is emerging as a promising non\u2010invasive neuromodulation technique to augment neurorehabilitation; however, its mechanisms in humans remain poorly understood. Animal studies indicate that VNS during motor skill practice drives task\u2010specific plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1), but direct evidence in humans is limited. Here, we demonstrate that taVNS paired with dexterous motor skill practice selectively enhances cortical plasticity without boosting motor performance during short\u2010term training. Thirty\u2010one healthy adults practiced a two\u2010ball rotation task for 15\u00a0min. Participants were randomised to receive taVNS to the left tragus or sham stimulation during practice. Motor performance, M1 representation (transcranial magnetic stimulation mapping) and spinal excitability (F\u2010wave) were assessed pre\u2010 and post\u2010practice, while pupil diameter was monitored during practice. Motor performance improved similarly in both groups, whereas cortical map expansion was significantly greater in the taVNS group than in the sham group. F\u2010wave amplitude increased in the sham group but not in the taVNS group, suggesting a relative shift in the expression of practice\u2010related plasticity toward cortical circuits when training was paired with taVNS. This pattern suggests that taVNS may influence the hierarchical expression of motor plasticity. Moreover, taVNS elicited pupil dilation during practice, consistent with noradrenergic engagement. These findings suggest that taVNS facilitates task\u2010specific cortical reorganization in humans independent of immediate behavioural improvement. By relating taVNS\u2010induced plasticity to noradrenergic engagement and revealing differential cortical and spinal responses, this study offers novel mechanistic insights into how pairing taVNS with motor training may establish a neural basis for motor recovery.\n                      <jats:boxed-text content-type=\"graphic\" position=\"anchor\">\n                        <jats:graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" mimetype=\"image\/png\" position=\"anchor\" specific-use=\"enlarged-web-image\" xlink:href=\"graphic\/tjp70669-gra-0001-m.png\">\n                          <jats:alt-text>image<\/jats:alt-text>\n                        <\/jats:graphic>\n                      <\/jats:boxed-text>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Key points<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\">\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>Previous research has shown that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising neuromodulatory method, yet its effects on human motor learning and underlying plasticity mechanisms remain unclear.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>This study shows that, in healthy adults, taVNS paired with dexterous motor practice enhanced cortical plasticity (increased M1\u00a0map size) without immediate behavioural improvement.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>By contrast, sham stimulation alone increased F\u2010wave amplitude, suggesting that taVNS may promote a relative shift in the expression of plasticity toward cortical circuits.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>Pupillometric monitoring revealed enhanced noradrenergic activity during taVNS\u2011paired training, suggesting a neuromodulatory pathway associated with cortical plasticity.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>These findings highlight the potential of taVNS to modulate central plasticity mechanisms, offering a novel strategy that could be translated into rehabilitation interventions targeting neural recovery in neurological disorders.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                      <\/jats:list>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1113\/jp290398","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,20]],"date-time":"2026-06-20T01:36:24Z","timestamp":1781919384000},"page":"6128-6146","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation during short\u2010term motor practice drives cortical plasticity without behavioural improvement"],"prefix":"10.1113","volume":"604","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6203-6602","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kento","family":"Nakagawa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Human Sciences Waseda University  Tokorozawa Saitama Japan"},{"name":"Department of Sports and Health Management, Faculty of Business and Information Sciences Jobu University  Isesaki Gunma Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rieko","family":"Osu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Human Sciences Waseda University  Tokorozawa Saitama Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_5_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.4275-11.2012"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apmr.2023.04.027"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.neuro.28.061604.135709"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2017.12.009"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2022.06.017"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fncir.2018.00030"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/joa.13122"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/WNN.0000000000000043"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-017-0440-8"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2021.767302"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(21)00475-X"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/15459683231177595"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2017.10.041"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/mus.880151102"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2014.11.018"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2024.2313123"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/psyp.14584"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2023.1094658"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jelekin.2015.02.009"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_21_1","first-page":"275","volume-title":"Progress in Brain Research","author":"Hays S. A.","year":"2013"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-61958-8"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2015.12.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1249\/MSS.0000000000002799"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ejn.15625"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1545968314521006"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-25864-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2021.12.016"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0404.2012.01669.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3758\/s13428-018-1075-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12576-022-00849-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neulet.2020.135031"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/1673-5374.332155"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2023.06.010"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ejn.15197"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-018-0209-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5334\/joc.18"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainresbull.2004.04.008"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2006.04.019"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-023-01729-z"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ner.13488"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2018.10.017"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nicl.2019.102144"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-025-28152-w"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0028-3932(71)90067-4"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3233\/NRE-2008-23311"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2025.01.022"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/bhr316"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0079-6123(08)63803-0"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms13289"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2022.922424"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2015.02.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.1361-20.2020"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0025670"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_55_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brs.2014.10.020"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_56_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12311-023-01595-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ejn.16004"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_58_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0452-23.2023"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_59_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1201858109"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_60_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2020\/8841752"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_61_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1525-1403.2012.00520.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_62_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00021.2022"},{"key":"e_1_2_5_63_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neurom.2024.05.004"}],"container-title":["The Journal of Physiology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1113\/JP290398","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1113\/JP290398","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1113\/JP290398","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T07:35:02Z","timestamp":1785742502000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1113\/JP290398"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]]},"references-count":62,"journal-issue":{"issue":"14","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1113\/JP290398"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1113\/jp290398","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-3751","1469-7793"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-3751","type":"print"},{"value":"1469-7793","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-10-25","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-06-03","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-06-19","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}