Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder is efficacious even in patients who failed multiple medications and CBT

Abstract

OCD is a chronic and disabling disease with a lifetime prevalence of 2%-3%. About 40-60% of these patients do not adequately respond to pharmacotherapy and CBT. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) was shown to be safe and effective as a treatment alternative for OCD and recently received regulatory approvals. Yet it is unclear whether patients who failed numerous medications and/or CBT can still benefit from dTMS. Here, we analyzed recent data from a double-blind multicenter dTMS study and found efficacy of this novel treatment even in OCD patient cohorts who previously failed to respond to multiple medications and CBT.