{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,4]],"date-time":"2026-06-04T08:09:26Z","timestamp":1780560566522,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777852800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Neurol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background and aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has demonstrated potential efficacy in post-stroke functional recovery. This study aimed to systematically synthesize data evaluating the effects of taVNS in terms of improving motor function, mental health, and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients experiencing stroke following intervention.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Electronic databases including EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP were searched from their inception to September 2025. All randomized controlled trials that applied taVNS to patients experiencing stroke were included.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 512 patients were included in the analysis. The results showed that compared with the control group, the taVNS group demonstrated significantly increased motor function scores [standardized mean difference (SMD)\u202f=\u202f1.21; 95% CI: 0.88\u20131.55;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001], significantly improved mental health scores (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.84, 95% CI: 1.19,\u20130.49;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001), significantly increased scores in ADL (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.94; 95% CI: 0.72\u20131.17;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.001), and significantly different neurophysiological indicators (SMD\u202f=\u202f1.60, 95% CI: 0.70\u20132.51;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f0.0005). Subgroup analysis revealed superior outcomes in patients with stroke who received 20\u202fHz taVNS with \u226510 sessions.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>taVNS improves motor function, mental health, and ADL outcomes in patients experiencing stroke. The combination of taVNS stimulation frequency, current intensity, and intervention duration constitutes a key modulator influencing treatment efficacy.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:uri>https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/view\/CRD42025633212<\/jats:uri>\n                      , identifier PROSPERO (CRD42025633212).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2026.1786103","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T04:25:37Z","timestamp":1777868737000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effectiveness of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Shuaijing","family":"Wan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing and Rehabilitation, North China University of Science and Technology","place":["Tangshan, China"]},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Hebei General Hospital","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaolu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Hebei General Hospital","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]},{"name":"Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebral Networks and Cognitive Disorders","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wenjing","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Hebei Medical University","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zesen","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Hebei Medical University","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhexuan","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Education College, Hebei Normal University","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu","family":"Yin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Nursing and Rehabilitation, North China University of Science and Technology","place":["Tangshan, China"]},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation, Hebei General Hospital","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]},{"name":"Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebral Networks and Cognitive Disorders","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Weibo","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second hospital of Hebei Medical University","place":["Shijiazhuang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1160","DOI":"10.1016\/s1474-4422(23)00277-6","article-title":"Pragmatic solutions to reduce the global burden of stroke: a world stroke organization-lancet neurology commission","volume":"22","author":"Feigin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet Neurol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"974","DOI":"10.1016\/s1473-3099(24)00176-2","article-title":"Global, regional, and national incidence and mortality burden of non-COVID-19 lower respiratory infections and aetiologies, 1990\u20132021: a systematic analysis from the 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