The effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on symptoms in obsessive compulsive disorder. A randomized, double blind, sham controlled study.
BACKGROUND
The goal of our study is to assess whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) would facilitate the effect of antidepressant in OCD patients.


METHODS
The aim of the randomized, double-blind, sham controlled study was to compare the 2 and 4 week efficacy of the 10 sessions rTMS with sham rTMS in serotonin reuptake inhibitor resistant OCD patient. Thirty three right-handed patients were randomly assigned to either active rTMS or to sham rTMS. Active rTMS with the frequency of 1 Hz at 110% of motor threshold (MT) was administered over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex. The same time schedule was used for sham administration. Thirty patients finished the study, three patients' dropped out at the beginning. Psychopathology was assessed by CGI, HAMA, Y-BOCS and BAI before the treatment, immediately after the experimental treatment, and 2 weeks after the experimental treatment by an independent reviewer.


RESULTS
Both groups improved during the study period but the treatment effect did not differ between them in any of the instruments.


CONCLUSIONS
Low frequency rTMS administered over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex during 10 daily sessions did not differ from sham rTMS in facilitating the effect of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in OCD patients.
Prasko
Ján
J
Psychiatric Centre Prague, Czech Republic. prasko@pcp.lf3.cuni.cz
Pasková
Beata
B
Záleský
Richard
R
Novák
Tomás
T
Kopecek
Miloslav
M
Bares
Martin
M
Horácek
Jirí
J
D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors