Intervention Effect of rTMS on Neural Activities in Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder

Abstract: While repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has gained attention as an alternative treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there is a lack of evidence regarding the mechanisms underlying the neural modifications induced by rTMS in OCD individuals. Our study investigates how rTMS influences neural oscillations and connectivity to address this gap by examining changes through coherence, relative power, and amplitude asymmetry analyses. From a cohort of 196 OCD individuals undergoing rTMS at a neuroscience clinic, we selected 12 participants who met our criteria. These participants received 20 sessions of bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)-targeted rTMS. We assessed symptom severity using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and recorded their brain activity with a 19-channel EEG before and after the intervention. Our analysis employed coherence and amplitude asymmetry, revealing altered connectivity patterns, alongside conducting relative power analysis for insights into neural oscillation changes. The Y-BOCS scores demonstrated significant treatment efficacy. Connectivity outcomes underscored that rTMS effects exert a comprehensive influence on the broader brain network beyond the DLPFC. The relative power analysis also indicated increased Alpha frequency and decreased Beta3 and High beta bands. These findings can provide valuable insights into the changes in neural activity following rTMS intervention in OCD individuals.