This study will evaluate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of Respiratory-gated Auricular Vagal Afferent Nerve Stimulation (RAVANS) for improving motor recovery after stroke. Subacute stroke patients will be randomized to RAVANS or sham stimulation groups. Patients will receive RAVANS or sham stimulation concurrent with arm motor training during 10 sessions occurring daily for 30 minutes over 2 weeks. Safety will be compared in patients receiving RAVANS to those receiving sham stimulation. Feasibility will be evaluated by recruitment into the study and retention of enrolled patients. Changes in arm motor function will be compared between RAVANS and sham stimulation groups from baseline to immediately after the intervention period and to function at 3-months after stroke.
This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Respiratory-gated Auricular Vagal Afferent Nerve Stimulation (RAVANS) for improving motor recovery after stroke. Subacute stroke patients will receive RAVANS or sham stimulation concurrent with arm motor training during 10 intervention sessions occurring daily for 30 minutes over 2 weeks. The safety and improvements in arm motor function after the intervention will be compared in patients receiving RAVANS to those receiving sham stimulation.