Authors:
Jahangard L; Haghighi M; Shyayganfard M; Ahmadpanah M; Sadeghi Bahman i D; Bajoghli H; Holsboer-Trachsler E; Brand S. Institution Jahangard, Leila. Research Center for Behavioral Disorders and Substan ce Abuse, Hamadan University of Medial Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Title:
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improved Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but Also Cognitive Performance: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial with a Cross-Over Design an d Sham Condition.
Source: Neuropsychobiology. 73(4):224-32, 2016.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: There is some evidence that repetitive transcranial magnet ic stimulation (rTMS) is an effective method of treating patients s uffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Here, we tested the h ypothesis that rTMS has a positive impact both on symptom severity and cog nitive performance in such patients. Specifically, short-term verbal pro cessing speed and flexibility were assessed.
METHOD: Ten patients suffering from refractory OCD and treat ed with standard medication were randomly assigned either to a treatment-fir st or to a sham-first condition. At baseline and after 2 and 4 week s, symptom severity (experts’ ratings) and cognitive performance (auditory perception, visual perception, short-term memory, and process ing speed) were assessed. After 2 weeks, the treatment condition switched to the sham condition, and the sham condition switched to the treatment co ndition.
RESULTS: Under treatment but not under sham conditions, symptom sever ity reduced. Moreover, cognitive performance improved in parallel.
CONCLUSIONS: rTMS is a safe and efficient treatment for patients suffering from refractory OCD; symptoms and cognitive performance improved in parallel.
Copyright © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Publication Type Journal Article. Randomized Controlled Trial
