Effectiveness of Low-frequency rTMS and CBT in Reducing Symptoms Severity and Improving Cognitive Flexibility in...

This study aims to assess and compare the effects of low-frequency (LF) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on symptoms and cognitive flexibility of adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

This is a randomized clinical trial conducted on 24 people with OCD living in Zanjan City, Iran, in two groups of CBT (n=12) and rTMS (n=12). The CBT with exposure and response prevention (ERP) was presented at 20 sessions. The rTMS (1 Hz) was delivered at 100 resting motor thresholds using an 8-shaped coil over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (F4) for 2 weeks at 10 sessions. They completed the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS) and the cognitive flexibility inventory (CFI) before, immediately, and one month after the intervention. Collected data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 22.

Results showed a significant difference between the two groups in the severity of OCD symptoms (obsessions and compulsions) immediately after the intervention (P<0.001), where higher reductions were observed in the CBT group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in cognitive flexibility (P>0.05). No significant difference was found between the groups in any study variable one month after interventions.

There is a significant difference between CBT and LF-rTMS techniques in reducing the severity of OCD symptoms, while there is no difference between them in improving the cognitive flexibility of the patients.