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Neuromodulation

Targeted Neuromodulation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

N/A
Recruiting
Led By Brian P Brennan, MD
Research Sponsored by Mclean Hospital
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
DSM-5 diagnosis of OCD as primary presenting disorder
Male or female age 18-55 years old
Must not have
Use of psychiatric medications other than permitted above
History of traumatic brain injury, seizure disorder, neurodegenerative disease, or other organic brain disease
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 6 weeks

Summary

This trial investigates whether a magnetic treatment can help people with OCD who have contamination/washing symptoms. The treatment uses magnetic fields to stimulate brain cells and aims to reduce overactivity in specific brain areas to alleviate these symptoms. This method has been approved for treating depression and OCD.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults aged 18-55 with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), specifically those who struggle mainly with contamination/washing symptoms. Participants should score ≥8 on a specific OCD scale and not have started new therapy or changed medications recently. It's not open to individuals using certain psychiatric drugs, those with a recent substance use disorder, or anyone pregnant.
What is being tested?
The study tests individually targeted neuromodulation techniques: iTBS and cTBS against a sham procedure to see if they can reduce contamination-based OCD symptoms more effectively than current general treatments.
What are the potential side effects?
While the description doesn't specify side effects, transcranial magnetic stimulation can sometimes cause discomfort at the stimulation site, headache, lightheadedness, or seizures in very rare cases.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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My main diagnosis is OCD according to DSM-5.
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I am between 18 and 55 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I am not taking any psychiatric medications not allowed in this study.
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I have a history of brain injury or disease.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~6 weeks
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 6 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Functional connectivity between R MFG and brain regions within VAN (expressed as a Z-score)
Secondary study objectives
Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (D-YBOCS)
Functional activation of R MFG and brain regions within VAN during an RSVP task (expressed as a beta value)
Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS)

Trial Design

3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: iTBSExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
intermittent TBS to right MFG
Group II: cTBSExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
continuous TBS to right MFG
Group III: shamPlacebo Group1 Intervention
sham stimulation to right MFG
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
iTBS
2019
Completed Phase 3
~640
cTBS
2013
N/A
~50

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.
Mechanism Of Action
Side Effect Profile
Prior Approvals
Other Research
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) treatments primarily include pharmacological approaches like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and non-pharmacological methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). SSRIs work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which helps reduce OCD symptoms. CBT aims to change maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, uses magnetic fields to modulate neural activity in specific brain regions like the supplementary motor area or the orbitofrontal cortex. This modulation can decrease the hyperactivity in these areas, which is often linked to OCD symptoms. Understanding these mechanisms is important for OCD patients as it helps them comprehend how different treatments can alleviate their symptoms and improve their overall well-being.
[Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder].

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Mclean HospitalLead Sponsor
216 Previous Clinical Trials
21,823 Total Patients Enrolled
9 Trials studying Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
657 Patients Enrolled for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Massachusetts General HospitalOTHER
3,018 Previous Clinical Trials
13,309,695 Total Patients Enrolled
26 Trials studying Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
1,571 Patients Enrolled for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Brian P Brennan, MDPrincipal InvestigatorMclean Hospital
3 Previous Clinical Trials
55 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

cTBS (Neuromodulation) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT05048251 — N/A
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Study Groups: cTBS, iTBS, sham
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinical Trial 2023: cTBS Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT05048251 — N/A
cTBS (Neuromodulation) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT05048251 — N/A
~15 spots leftby Dec 2025