Priming Cognitive Flexibility with RTMS to Enhance CBT for OCD: a Pilot Study
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), incorporating exposure/response prevention (ERP) and cognitive therapy, is considered the gold-standard first-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Because CBT is a psychological treatment that aims to change patterns of thinking and behaving, it may be that improvement in cognitive functioning before treatment starts could lead CBT to be even more effective. One area of research that has shown potential benefit for OCD sufferers is rTMS. rTMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses pulses of energy to stimulate regions of the brain. Brief treatment with rTMS has shown to improve attention, memory, and other aspects of cognitive functioning that may facilitate learning in CBT. The proposed study aims to provide a pilot test of the clinical effectiveness of adding brief rTMS prior to completing CBT for OCD. If rTMS can demonstrate enhancement of cognitive functioning, which in turn, can improve treatment response to CBT, then the findings could easily be translated into routine clinical care.
• between the ages of 18-65
• experiencing clinically significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms based on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS; score \> 16)
• if on medications for OCD, must be stabilized, i.e., are currently receiving an adequate dose (equivalent of 40mg/day of fluoxetine) for an adequate duration (at least 8 weeks) prior to the initiation of the study