Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Protocol for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Symptom Provocation to Treat Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
Published on: November 25, 2025
Treating refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder with transcranial direct current stimulation: An open label study.
Ghina Harika-Germaneau1,2,3, Damien Heit1, Armand Chatard1,2,4
1Unité de Recherché Clinique Intersectorielle en Psychiatrie à vocation régionale, Centre Hospitalier Henri Laborit, Poitiers, France.
This study found that cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the supplementary motor area (SMA) may be a safe and promising treatment for reducing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms in treatment-resistant patients. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 40-60% of patients refractory to standard treatments.
- Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows potential for long-lasting cortical excitability modulation.
- Investigating novel therapeutic approaches for treatment-resistant OCD is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of cathodal tDCS targeting the supplementary motor area (SMA) in patients with treatment-resistant OCD.
- To assess the therapeutic effects of tDCS on obsessive and compulsive symptoms.
- To determine the safety profile of this neuromodulation technique in an OCD population.
Main Methods:
- A clinical trial involving 21 treatment-resistant OCD outpatients.
- Administered 10 sessions of 2mA, 30-minute cathodal tDCS over the bilateral SMA with an anodal electrode on the right supraorbital area.
- Evaluated patients at baseline, end of treatment, and at one- and three-month follow-ups using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I).
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in YBOCS scores was observed from baseline to the one-month follow-up.
- Twenty-four percent (5/21) of patients met response criteria at one month, with 15% (3/21) at three months.
- Concomitant improvements in depressive symptoms and insight were noted, with the treatment being well-tolerated and reporting mild, transient side effects.
Conclusions:
- Cathodal tDCS over the SMA appears safe and promising for improving obsessive-compulsive symptoms in treatment-refractory OCD.
- The observed effects on symptoms, mood, and insight warrant further investigation.
- Larger randomized controlled trials are necessary to validate these preliminary findings and establish tDCS as a viable treatment option.
