RTMS Versus Fluvoxamine in the Treatment of OCD: A Randomized Open-label Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Neuromodulation

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and disabling mental health condition.
• Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising neuromodulation technique for psychiatric disorders.
• The efficacy of rTMS in treatment-naïve OCD patients is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preliminary efficacy of low-frequency rTMS in treatment-naïve OCD patients.
• To compare low-frequency rTMS with standardized fluvoxamine therapy.

Main Methods:

• Forty-one treatment-naïve OCD patients were randomized into two groups.
• Interventions included standardized fluvoxamine therapy or daily low-frequency (1 Hz) rTMS targeting the supplementary motor area for two weeks.
• Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory.

Main Results:

• The response rate was 41.7% for the rTMS group and 60% for the fluvoxamine group.
• The difference in response rates between the rTMS and fluvoxamine groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.669).
• No severe adverse events were reported in either treatment group.

Conclusions:

• Low-frequency rTMS over the supplementary motor area may offer preliminary benefits for treatment-naïve OCD patients.
• Further research, including randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled multicenter trials with extended follow-up, is warranted.
• The findings suggest rTMS as a potential avenue for future OCD treatment strategies.