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Deep Brain Stimulation a Promising Treatment for OCD, Study Finds
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may help reduce symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (TROCD), according to a study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
“Our findings support DBS as an effective treatment for TROCD, and the average appropriately selected patient will experience OCD symptom reduction of about 50%,” lead researcher Ron Gadot, medical student at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, and co-authors wrote. “Two-thirds of patients will achieve at least full response to DBS therapy with sustained follow-up. Stimulation of current limbic and non-limbic targets can provide substantial relief of comorbid depressive symptoms in TROCD.”
Related: OCD More Than Triples Risk of Substance Misuse
Researchers wanted to investigate the efficacy of DBS as a treatment for TROCD as the field evolves while assessing the bias in previous study outcomes to improve confidence in the treatment.
Data from 34 studies measuring improvement in patients receiving DBS therapy between 2005 and 2021 was reviewed, 9 of which were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All studies reported outcomes using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS).
There was a 47% reduction in Y-BOCS scores, and 66% of patients had responded fully to DBS therapy at the latest follow-up. Patients with a “partial response” (30% to 49% reduction in depressive symptoms) made up 16% of the group, and 37% were considered non-responders with less than 30% reduction. Studies that used the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) had a less significant effect size than studies that used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) or Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).
“Future crossover RCTs should aim to consistently include washout periods between active and sham stimulation periods, while observational and open-label clinical studies should aim to minimize potential confounders of treatment response and maintain longer follow-up protocols,” researchers concluded.
