Moderators and predictors of response to deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) has emerged as a treatment option for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who continue to exhibit impairing symptoms following an adequate response to first line interventions. Currently, little is known about the predictors or moderators of dTMS outcome for OCD. This paper examined if several theoretically relevant variables may predict and moderate treatment effects including OCD symptom severity, functional impairment, co-occurring depressive symptoms, age, gender, age of OCD onset, and family history of OCD. As part of a previously reported study, 100 patients received 29 dTMS or sham stimulation treatments over 6 weeks. dTMS was administered using a Magstim Rapid2 TMS (The Magstim Co. Ltd., Whitland, Carmarthenshire, United Kingdom) stimulator equipped with a H shaped coil design, which was specifically designed to stimulate the dorsal mPFC-ACC bilaterally. Findings suggest older participants and those with lower OCD severity and disability respond faster to both dTMS and sham stimulation. dTMS of the dorsal mPFC/ACC appeared to have larger benefits for individuals with greater OCD severity, whereas the difference between treatment arms was minimal in those with lower severity. Implications of these findings for treatment of OCD are discussed.