{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,5]],"date-time":"2026-06-05T07:47:41Z","timestamp":1780645661294,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["WOR"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>BACKGROUND: Excessive fear, worry and behavioral disturbances define anxiety, with particular significance attributed to vagal nerve, a crucial transmitter of information to the brain regions governing anxiety. Highlighting the importance of vagal nerve, transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) emerges as a tolerable and safe technique. The success of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation in alleviating anxiety underscores the pivotal role of the vagal nerve. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in mitigating anxiety among retired teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the relevance of targeting the vagal nerve for improved mental well-being. METHODS: 60 retired teachers diagnosed with anxiety were chosen through random allocation. Participants were divided into two groups: Group A (Experimental group) received transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS), and Group B (Control group) underwent the Jacobson relaxation technique. Intervention period spanned 4 weeks, with four sessions per week, lasting 30 minutes. The outcome measures included Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire and salivary cortisol levels. RESULTS: Following the 4-week intervention, both groups exhibited a significant reduction in Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores and salivary cortisol levels (P\u200a&lt;\u200a0.001). Notably, Group A demonstrated a significantly higher effectiveness rate compared to Group B. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) is effective in reducing anxiety among retired teachers. Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) proves to be a powerful and effective intervention in alleviating anxiety among retired teachers, emphasizing its potential significance in enhancing mental well-being.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/wor-230356","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,15]],"date-time":"2024-03-15T12:06:01Z","timestamp":1710504361000},"page":"645-652","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Efficacy of vagal nerve stimulation on anxiety among elderly retired teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"79","author":[{"given":"Vignesh","family":"Srinivasan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Varalakshmi","family":"Ruthuvalan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, 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