Abstract
Background:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe mental disorder with
poor response to the available treatments. Neuroimaging studies have
identified dysfunctions within the
orbito-fronto-striato-pallido-thalamic network in patients with OCD.
Here, we assessed the efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current
stimulation (tDCS) applied with the cathode over the orbitofrontal
cortex (OFC) and the anode over the right cerebellum to decrease OCD
symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant OCD.
Methods:
In a randomized sham-controlled double-blind study, 21 patients with
OCD were assigned to receive ten 20-min sessions (two sessions per day)
of either active (2 mA) or sham tDCS. The clinical symptoms were
measured using the Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale (YBOCS).
Acute effects on the symptoms were measured from baseline to immediately
after the 10 tDCS sessions. Long-lasting effects were measured 1 and 3
months after the 10th tDCS session.
Results:
Compared with the sham tDCS, active tDCS significantly decreased OCD
symptoms immediately after the 10th tDCS session
(F(1,19) = 5.26, p = 0.03). However, no
significant differences were observed between the active and sham groups
in terms of changes in YBOCS score or the number of responders one and 3
months after tDCS.
Conclusion:
Despite significant acute effects, tDCS with the cathode placed over
the left OFC and the anode placed over the right cerebellum was not
significantly effective in inducing a long-lasting reduction of symptoms
in patients with treatment-resistant OCD.
Acute effects of cannabinoids on symptoms of obsessive‐compulsive disorder: A human laboratory study