This is a research study to find out if anxiety in patients with autism spectrum disorder are affected by a form of ear stimulation called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, or taVNS. Participants will learn how to self-administer ear stimulation treatments at home before starting the study. Over the course of a month, participants will self-administer ear stimulation treatments twice a day for a month. Each treatment will last up to 60 minutes (1 hour) and there will be a break of at least 30 minutes in between treatments. The study team will ask participants to complete a group of questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study. There will also be a smaller number of questionnaires completed electronically on a weekly basis. The questionnaires will ask questions about mental health symptoms that subjects may or may not be experiencing, including questions about mood, anxiety, and sleep.

The Patient Registry for Participation in Aging/Alzheimer's Research (PREPARE) is a database of individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment who are interested in participating in research on aging/Alzheimer's disease and related dementias conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). PREPARE will connect MUSC researchers with potential participants so they can provide information about studies for which they may be eligible. PREPARE will also collect survey data from people with Mild Cognitive Impairment and their study partners to better understand the impact of this condition on daily functioning.