Could zapping the brain ease OCD? new trial begins
NCT ID NCT07113652
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a device that uses gentle electrical fields to stimulate brain areas linked to OCD. 18 adults with moderate-to-severe OCD will receive either real or sham stimulation for 7 days. Researchers will measure symptom changes and use brain scans to understand how it works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Temporal Interference (TI) stimulation device (nerviox-1000)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new, non-invasive treatment option for obsessive-compulsive disorder that may help reduce symptoms.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 18 people, so results may not apply widely. The device is experimental, and it is unknown if it will provide meaningful symptom relief.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 18 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 18-50 years old * Diagnosis of OCD per DSM-5 * Y-BOCS score ≥20 * Have a documented history of at least two adequate trials of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). If currently receiving SSRI treatment, the dosage must be stable for at least 8 weeks prior to enrollment * With at least 9 years of education Exclusion Criteria: * Any DSM-5 diagnosis other than OCD (except OCPD) * OCD symptoms too severe to complete assessments * Received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within the past 6 months * Received other forms of neuromodulation within the past 2 months(see Item 3 for ECT) * Severe medical illness or seizure risk (e.g., cardiovascular, respiratory conditions) * Neurological disorders or history of brain injury/surgery * MRI-incompatible implants (e.g., pacemaker, stents, cochlear implants). * Current suicidal risk per investigator judgment * Pregnant or planning pregnancy during the study * Started structured OCD psychotherapy within 3 months, with expected change during treatment
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Shanghai Mental Health Center
RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200030, China
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