Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Sertraline Composition on the Severity of Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background and Objective: One of the new treatment methods for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in patients who do not respond to the first line of drug treatment is brain stimulation from transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS). However, there has been limited research regarding its effectiveness, with the results often being contradictory. In the present study, the effect of TDCS with sertraline drug on the severity of the disease and the improvement of various areas of obsessive thoughts and actions was investigated. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with OCD were randomly assigned to two groups of 25: an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group underwent active TDCS and the control group underwent passive TDCS each for 16 sessions (20 min per session). The intensity of OCD symptoms in both groups was evaluated using the Padua questionnaire at four time points: before treatment, 4 weeks after the start of treatment, 8 weeks after treatment initiation, and 1 month after the conclusion of the treatment. Results: The two groups were similar in terms of age, gender, duration of illness, and severity of OCD before treatment (P<0.05). However, from the 8th and 16th sessions after the treatment, the overall score of OCD and its sub-domains in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: In patients with OCD, TDCS as a non-invasive method during 8 and 16 sessions had a significant effect on the reduction of the symptoms related to OCD.