Can zapping two brain areas beat OCD?
NCT ID NCT04958096
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is testing whether adding stimulation to the front part of the brain can improve standard deep brain stimulation (DBS) for severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Fifteen adults with OCD that hasn't improved with other treatments will get DBS plus an extra set of electrodes in the prefrontal or cingulate cortex. Researchers will track brain signals and OCD symptoms for up to two years to see if the extra stimulation helps.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
deep brain stimulation and cortical stimulation
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward a more effective brain stimulation treatment for severe OCD that doesn't respond to other therapies.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small study with only 15 people. It's testing a new combination of brain stimulation, so it may not work better than standard DBS, and there are surgical risks from implanting extra electrodes.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building
RECRUITINGSan Francisco, California, 94107, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact