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Behavioural Intervention

tDCS for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

N/A
Recruiting
Led By Joan Camprodon, MD, MPH, PhD
Research Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be between 18 and 65 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up extinction recall phase (day 2)
Awards & highlights

Summary

This trial will investigate whether tDCS can help people with OCD to better control their fear.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for English-speaking adults with primary OCD causing moderate distress (Y-BOCS score ≥ 16). Participants should be comfortable using a computer. Excluded are those with significant head injuries, metal implants in the head/neck, pacemakers, pregnancy, epilepsy, recent substance abuse, history of mania or psychosis, resistance to multiple OCD treatments or use of benzodiazepines within two weeks.
What is being tested?
The study tests whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can help people with OCD overcome unwanted fear by altering brain activity. It compares active tDCS against sham (placebo) treatment to see if there's an improvement in managing fear.
What are the potential side effects?
Possible side effects from tDCS may include discomfort at the electrode site on the scalp, itching or tingling during stimulation, fatigue after treatment sessions and headaches.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~extinction recall phase (day 2)
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and extinction recall phase (day 2) for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Difference in frontomedial theta power (EEG) to the conditioned stimulus (CS+) versus the unconditioned stimulus (CS-) between tDCS conditions during extinction recall
Difference in skin conductance response (SCR) to the conditioned stimulus (CS+) versus the unconditioned stimulus (CS-) between tDCS conditions during extinction recall

Side effects data

From 2015 Phase 2 trial • 10 Patients • NCT02514044
90%
Non-significant skin redness and tingling
20%
Mild Headache
10%
Mild Insomnia
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Study treatment Arm
Placebo+tDCS+Speech Therapy
D-AMP+tDCS+Speech Therapy

Trial Design

4Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: Active tDCS administered during extinction phaseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The investigators will stimulate using 2mA of direct current during 20 min during the extinction phase of the fear conditioning and extinction paradigm.
Group II: Active tDCS administered before extinction phaseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The investigators will stimulate using 2mA of direct current during 20 min before the extinction phase of the fear conditioning and extinction paradigm.
Group III: Active tDCS administered after extinction phaseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The investigators will stimulate using 2mA of direct current during 20 min after the extinction phase of the fear conditioning and extinction paradigm.
Group IV: Sham tDCSPlacebo Group1 Intervention
Sham will consist of a ramp up and down of activity (from 0 to 2mA and back to 0mA) in the first 30sec and again in the last 30 sec of the 20min stimulation period (which will occur before/during/after the extinction phase). No active tDCS will occur.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Active tDCS
2012
Completed Phase 2
~1150

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Massachusetts General HospitalLead Sponsor
2,993 Previous Clinical Trials
13,230,601 Total Patients Enrolled
26 Trials studying Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
1,512 Patients Enrolled for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Foundation for OCD ResearchUNKNOWN
1 Previous Clinical Trials
360 Total Patients Enrolled
1 Trials studying Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
360 Patients Enrolled for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Joan Camprodon, MD, MPH, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorMassachusetts General Hospital

Media Library

tDCS (Behavioural Intervention) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT05521074 — N/A
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Study Groups: Active tDCS administered before extinction phase, Active tDCS administered during extinction phase, Active tDCS administered after extinction phase, Sham tDCS
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinical Trial 2023: tDCS Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT05521074 — N/A
tDCS (Behavioural Intervention) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT05521074 — N/A
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Patient Testimony for trial: Trial Name: NCT05521074 — N/A
~21 spots leftby Mar 2025
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