Vestibular DisorderVESTINCT07267910
Measuring Vestibular Organ Function With Weak Alternating Current Stimulation
A study testing Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS) in people with Vestibular Disorder and Vestibular Schwannoma, run by Aalto University at 1 site in Finland.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to preliminarily evaluate the use of electrical stimulation in diagnosing disorders with the vestibular system. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can electrical vestibular stimulation combined with movement measurement be used to diagnose disorders of the vestibular system?… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Vestibular Disorder, Vestibular Schwannoma, Vestibular Neuritis
- What is being tested?
- Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS)
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFinland
- Study dates
- 8 Jun 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Signed informed consent form
- One of the following: clinically diagnosed vestibular schwannoma, vestibular neuritis, or simultaneous unilateral hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction.
Who cannot join
- History of epilepsy or seizures
- Past brain surgery
- Pacemaker, cochlear implant, or other implanted medical device
- Pregnancy
- Skin problems or damaged skin at the site of the stimulation (scalp and neck)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Finland1 site
Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, HUS Helsinki University Hospital
Helsinki, 00130
About this study
Official title: Measuring Vestibular Organ Function With Weak Alternating-current Stimulation
The goal of this clinical trial is to preliminarily evaluate the use of electrical stimulation in diagnosing disorders with the vestibular system. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can electrical vestibular stimulation combined with movement measurement be used to diagnose disorders of the vestibular system?
- Can electrical stimulation provide treatment or rehabilitation opportunities for patients suffering from disorders of the vestibular system?
Read the detailed description
The participants will each attend one experimental session consisting of multiple short (1-3 min) measurement trials. During a trial the participant's vestibular system is stimulated with a transcranial electrical stimulator device and their movements are recorded with a force plate and acceleration sensors.
The goal of the study is to collect and analyse data from 30 research participants with diagnosed vestibular disorders.
- Being tested
- Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS), Sham transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Sham EVS), Control measurement
- Keywords
- Vestibular disorders, Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases, Electrical vestibular stimulation, transcranial electrical stimulation
- Medical subject headings
- Vestibular Diseases, Neuroma, Acoustic, Vestibular Neuronitis, Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS)Device
Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) with alternating current (maximum peak current below 2 mA and stimulation frequency 2-20 Hz) applied for 1-3 minutes at a time and for under 20 minutes in total. EVS will be applied either bilaterally (ear to ear) or unilaterally (left ear to neck or right ear to neck). The participants movements during the stimulation are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors. The study uses multiple types of vestibular stimulation waveforms which are applied in a randomized sequence, such that neither the participant nor the investigator know the exact stimulation type at the time of the measurement.
Sham transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Sham EVS)Device
Sham (no current) transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation applied for 1-3 minutes. The participant's movements during the supposed stimulation are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors. Neither the participant nor the investigator know at what point of the intervention sequence the sham stimulation is applied.
Control measurementDevice
The participant's movements are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors for the same time duration (1-3 min) and following the same protocols as in other interventions, but both the participant and the investigator know that no stimulation is being applied. The control measurement will always be completed before all other interventions and is not part of the randomized intervention sequence.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| EVS + measurement | Experimental | The study composes of multiple interventions (1-3 min electrical vestibular stimulation and response measurement). All study participants will get the same interventions but in different randomized order. Receives: Device: Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS); Device: Sham transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Sham EVS); Device: Control measurement |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in the frequency content of the movement response signals
Changes of the power in a frequency band of 0-20 Hz in the measured movement response signals during active electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). The measured movement response signals are force plate Center of Pressure (CoP) and 3-axis acceleration data from wearable acceleration sensors.
Measured: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Latency of the EVS response
Latency of the EVS-induced movement response measured as the time delay between the stimulation and the measured movement.
Measured: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Highest frequency of the EVS-induced response
Highest frequency at which EVS induces a response determined via spectral analysis of the movement data
Measured: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Dec 2025
- Study start8 Jun 2026
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Vestibular DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- All study participants will get the same interventions but in different randomized order. The order randomization is based on the balanced Latin square design such that each intervention type occurs equally often in each position in the order, so that any order effects are distributed evenly among the subjects.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Aalto University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Helsinki University Central Hospital, Business Finland
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Ilkka Laakso, D.Sc. (Tech), Principal investigator, Aalto UniversityTopi Jutila, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, HUS Helsinki University Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07267910
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VESTI
- Acronym
- VESTI
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Measuring Vestibular Organ Function With Weak Alternating-current Stimulation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07267910
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VESTI / VESTI
- Keywords
- Vestibular disorders, Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases, Electrical vestibular stimulation, transcranial electrical stimulation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Aalto UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Helsinki University Central Hospital, Business Finland
- Study start
- 8 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to preliminarily evaluate the use of electrical stimulation in diagnosing disorders with the vestibular system. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can electrical vestibular stimulation combined with movement measurement be used to diagnose disorders of the vestibular system?
- Can electrical stimulation provide treatment or rehabilitation opportunities for patients suffering from disorders of the vestibular system?
Detailed description
The participants will each attend one experimental session consisting of multiple short (1-3 min) measurement trials. During a trial the participant's vestibular system is stimulated with a transcranial electrical stimulator device and their movements are recorded with a force plate and acceleration sensors.
The goal of the study is to collect and analyse data from 30 research participants with diagnosed vestibular disorders.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- All study participants will get the same interventions but in different randomized order. The order randomization is based on the balanced Latin square design such that each intervention type occurs equally often in each position in the order, so that any order effects are distributed evenly among the subjects.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| EVS + measurement | Experimental | Device: Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS), Device: Sham transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Sham EVS), Device: Control measurementThe study composes of multiple interventions (1-3 min electrical vestibular stimulation and response measurement). All study participants will get the same interventions but in different randomized order. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Signed informed consent form
- One of the following: clinically diagnosed vestibular schwannoma, vestibular neuritis, or simultaneous unilateral hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- History of epilepsy or seizures
- Past brain surgery
- Pacemaker, cochlear implant, or other implanted medical device
- Pregnancy
- Skin problems or damaged skin at the site of the stimulation (scalp and neck)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS)Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) with alternating current (maximum peak current below 2 mA and stimulation frequency 2-20 Hz) applied for 1-3 minutes at a time and for under 20 minutes in total. EVS will be applied either bilaterally (ear to ear) or unilaterally (left ear to neck or right ear to neck). The participants movements during the stimulation are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors. The study uses multiple types of vestibular stimulation waveforms which are applied in a randomized sequence, such that neither the participant nor the investigator know the exact stimulation type at the time of the measurement. | Device | EVS + measurement |
| Sham transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Sham EVS)Sham (no current) transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation applied for 1-3 minutes. The participant's movements during the supposed stimulation are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors. Neither the participant nor the investigator know at what point of the intervention sequence the sham stimulation is applied. | Device | EVS + measurement |
| Control measurementThe participant's movements are measured with a force plate and wearable acceleration sensors for the same time duration (1-3 min) and following the same protocols as in other interventions, but both the participant and the investigator know that no stimulation is being applied. The control measurement will always be completed before all other interventions and is not part of the randomized intervention sequence. | Device | EVS + measurement |
Primary outcome
Changes in the frequency content of the movement response signals
Time frame: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Changes of the power in a frequency band of 0-20 Hz in the measured movement response signals during active electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). The measured movement response signals are force plate Center of Pressure (CoP) and 3-axis acceleration data from wearable acceleration sensors.
2 secondary outcomes
Latency of the EVS response
Time frame: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Highest frequency of the EVS-induced response
Time frame: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Ilkka Laakso, D.Sc. (Tech) principal investigator
Aalto University
Topi Jutila, MD, PhD principal investigator
HUS Helsinki University Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Active transcranial electrical vestibular stimulation (Active EVS) in people with Vestibular Disorder and Vestibular Schwannoma, run by Aalto University at 1 site in Finland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Finland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Changes in the frequency content of the movement response signals (time frame: From study appointment to the analysis of the results (up to 12 months)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Jul 2026.