Treating refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder with transcranial direct current stimulation: An open label study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex disorder with 40%-60% of patients' refractory to treatment. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to induce potent and long-lasting effects on cortical excitability. The aim of the present clinical trial was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of cathodal tDCS over the supplementary motor area (SMA) in treatment-resistant OCD patients.

Methods

Twenty-one treatment-resistant OCD outpatients received 10 sessions of tDCS. Each treatment session consisted of 2 mA stimuli for 30 min. The cathode was positioned over the bilateral SMA and the anode over the right supraorbital area. Patients were evaluated at baseline, end of treatment, one-month follow-up, and three-month follow-up

SUBMITTER: Harika-Germaneau G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7375126 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature