Help Us Study A Potential New Treatment Option For OCD
Would you like to take part in a clinical trial investigating Rapid Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for individuals with moderate to severe treatment-resistant OCD?
OCD is a mental health disorder that affects 1 in 100 people and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress.
Medications (SSRIs and D2 antagonists) and cognitive-behavioral therapy are the mainstays of treatment; however, many patients show only a partial response, and more than 25% of patients show no improvement with these treatments.
We are trialing a novel form of accelerated TMS, where we will deliver ten 10-minute sessions per day, for 5 days.
Thank you very much for your interest in our clinical research study on OCD. Our study participants are essential in the research for new and effective OCD treatments.
What is rTMS?
New interventions are urgently needed to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an FDA-approved non-invasive form of brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression and OCD.
The standard FDA-approved protocol for OCD involves an 18-minute stimulation 5 days a week for a total of 6 weeks. Currently rTMS for OCD is not universally accepted by insurance the way it is for depression.
rTMS is a promising alternative treatment, as it uses focused magnetic field pulses to stimulate specific brain areas. We are using a form of TMS termed theta-burst stimulation (TBS) in an accelerated protocol, which has been highly effective for the treatment of depression, and we hope will result in a more effective treatment for OCD by producing faster symptom reduction.
What to expect?
During the rTMS treatments, patients will be awake and sitting in a chair. A magnetic device is placed over their head. This device transmits magnetic waves to brain regions linked to OCD by research.
The trial also includes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before and after treatment. Your brain scans will be used to 1) personalize your rTMS target during treatment, and 2) track any changes in OCD-related circuits as a result of treatment.
In this randomized clinical trial, all participants are initially randomized to receive rTMS treatment targeting the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex or right orbitofrontal cortex. Participants that don’t experience a reduction in OCD symptoms following treatment targeting one brain region with have the option to receive treatment targeting the other.
*Our labs utilize the Magventure MagPro System. More information can be found at www.magventure.com.
**We are using an accelerated stimulation protocol which is not FDA-approved but has been deemed as non-significant risk by the FDA.
Participant’s rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906.
Why Join Us?
- Free and active stimulation (no placebo)
- Free study-related care and evaluations at no cost to you (no insurance required)
- You may receive travel and housing reimbursement (if outside the metro area)
See If You Qualify
If you’re between the ages of 18-80 and have a diagnosis or prominent symptoms of OCD, you may qualify.
If you have additional questions or would like more information, don’t hesitate to email or call us:
Email: tmsocdstudy@stanford.edu
Phone #: 650-800-6920
