Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder: a double-blind controlled investigation.
BACKGROUND
To determine the efficacy and tolerability of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in a double-blind placebo-controlled study.


METHODS
Subjects with treatment-resistant OCD were randomized to rTMS (n = 10) or sham rTMS (n = 8) for 10 sessions of daily stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), with subjects and raters being blind to the treatment. Subjects were offered an open extension of up to 20 sessions of rTMS.


RESULTS
The two groups did not differ on change in Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) or Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory scores over 10 sessions, with or without correction for depression ratings. Over 20 sessions, there was a significant reduction in total YBOCS scores, but not after controlling for depression. rTMS over 20 sessions was well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
Two weeks of rTMS over the left DLPFC is ineffective for treatment-resistant OCD.
Sachdev
Perminder S
PS
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Australia. p.sachdev@unsw.edu.au
Loo
Colleen K
CK
Mitchell
Philip B
PB
McFarquhar
Tara F
TF
Malhi
Gin S
GS
D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome