Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as an add-on Treatment for Resistant OCD

OCD is a chronic condition with a high rate of poor responders to conventional treatments, such as antidepressants and psychotherapy. Chronic symptoms can lead to important social impairment and suffering for patients and families.

The present study aims to investigate if the addition of transcranial magnetic stimulation can provide enhanced response to conventional treatment.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a noninvasive technique that can influence specific areas of the brain and has very few side effects.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

About this study

The treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation requires attendance to hospital daily sessions for 6 consecutive weeks. Each session lasts up to 30 minutes.

Side effects include scalp discomfort and mild headache. No anesthesia is required.

Stimulation aims the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region previously studied to treat depression symptoms with positive results. The present technique has never been employed in previous studies, but risks are insignificant

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

resistant OCD patients: maximum 25% reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) scores after at least 3 adequate trials with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI) (including clomipramine) and 20 hours of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or documented intolerance to either treatment.

Exclusion criteria

metallic cerebral implants
history of severe trauma or brain injury
organic brain disease
severe somatic disease
history of drug dependence
chronic psychosis
present manic state

Treatment and study plan

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Procedure

30 daily sessions: each with 40 trains of 5 seconds at 10Hz, with a 25 second inter-train interval, at an intensity of 110% of motor threshold. Site: Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Other names: TMS

Primary outcomes

A reduction of at least 30 % in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) scores and an "improved" or "much improved" score on the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) improvement scale by the end of follow-up

Time frame: 3 - 6 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Sao Paulo General Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Right Prefrontal High Frequency rTMS in Treatment of Resistant OCD: a Double Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start: 2003
Primary completion: 2009
Study completion: 2009
First posted: Jan 7, 2010
Registry last updated: Jan 7, 2010

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed