Brain pacemaker trial targets Tough-to-Treat OCD
NCT ID NCT06347978
First seen Jun 27, 2026 ยท Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a personalized deep brain stimulation (DBS) approach for people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that hasn't improved with standard treatments. Ten adults will first undergo brain mapping to find the best stimulation targets, then receive a DBS device. Half will have the device turned on first, then off, and the other half the reverse, to compare effects. The goal is to see if this method is safe and can reduce OCD symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only โ not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- deep brain stimulation (DBS) device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for people with severe OCD that hasn't responded to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early feasibility trial with only 10 participants. It is designed mainly to test safety and whether the approach works, not to prove effectiveness. Brain surgery carries risks like infection or bleeding.
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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
Locations
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, 94143, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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