Efficacy of accelerated deep transcranial magnetic stimulation wi̇th double cone coi̇l in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Abstract

High-frequency deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) targeting the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with an H-coil has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Nevertheless, there is limited evidence regarding the efficacy of a similar procedure performed using a double-cone coil or in an accelerated regimen. In this study, patients in the active TMS group (n = 14) underwent stimulation of the mPFC and ACC twice daily at a frequency of 20 Hz for three weeks, using a double-cone coil. The same procedure was applied to the control group (n = 15) using a placebo coil. Throughout the study, the patients continued their antidepressant and/or antipsychotic treatments at the same dose. Following treatment, the active TMS group exhibited a more significant reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores (pre-treatment: 25.36 ± 5.4, post-treatment: 18.43 ± 6.86) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores (pre-treatment: 10.6 ± 3.5, post-treatment: 6.7 ± 2.7) compared to the sham TMS group. However, there was no statistically significant reduction in symmetry-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the TMS group compared to the sham TMS group. dTMS applied to the mPFC and ACC, using a double-cone coil at a 20-Hz frequency twice daily for three weeks, was found to be effective as an adjunctive treatment for treatment-resistant OCD.