Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39876680›Full record

Trial reportThe American journal of psychiatry2025

Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of High-Dose Ondansetron on Clinical Symptoms and Brain Connectivity in Obsessive-Compulsive and Tic Disorders.

Emily R Stern, Katherine A Collins, Laura B Bragdon, Goi Khia Eng, Nicolette Recchia, Barbara J Coffey, Evan Leibu, James W Murrough, Russell H Tobe, Dan V Iosifescu and 2 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The American journal of psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Major Adverse Cardiac Events with Ondansetron: A Systematic Review.Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Emily R SternNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Katherine A CollinsNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Laura B BragdonNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Goi Khia EngNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Nicolette RecchiaNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Barbara J CoffeyNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Evan LeibuNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
James W MurroughNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Russell H TobeNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Dan V IosifescuNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Katherine E BurdickNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).
Wayne K GoodmanNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY (Stern, Collins, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Tobe, Iosifescu); Department of Psychiatry (Stern, Bragdon, Eng, Recchia, Iosifescu) and Neuroscience Institute (Stern, Iosifescu), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York; Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami Medical School, Miami (Coffey); Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (Leibu, Murrough); Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York (Tobe); Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston (Burdick); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Burdick); Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Goodman).

Funding

The effects of ondansetron on neural systems and symptoms associated with sensory phenomenaR33MH107589 · NIMH · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI STERN, EMILY R · 2017 to 2019
$1.4M
NIMH NIH HHS R33 MH107589
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSensory phenomena (SP) are aversive sensations driving repetitive behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette's disorder that are not well addressed by standard treatments. SP are related to the functioning of an interoceptive-sensorimotor circuit that may be modulated by the 5-HT

methodsOf 51 participants who completed the study, 27 were assigned to receive 24 mg/day of ondansetron and 24 to receive placebo. Analyses examined changes in SP severity and, for participants with OCD, overall OCD severity from baseline to final visit. Functional MRI data were collected at both visits for analysis of intrinsic functional connectivity metrics characterizing global correlation (reflecting area "hubness") and local correlation (reflecting near-neighbor coherence).

resultsThere were no significant differences between ondansetron and placebo in the reduction of SP or overall OCD severity in the full sample. In a subsample of participants with OCD taking concomitant serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), ondansetron was associated with a significant decrease in overall OCD severity and global connectivity of the medial sensorimotor cortex compared with placebo. Longitudinal reductions in SP severity were related to decreases in right sensorimotor hubness in both groups, and to brainstem local coherence only in participants taking ondansetron.

conclusionsThere was no effect of high-dose ondansetron on SP. However, when used as an augmentation to SRIs, ondansetron reduced overall OCD severity, which may be related to changes in the "hubness" of the sensorimotor cortex. Ondansetron's ability to modulate brainstem connectivity may underlie its variable effectiveness in reducing SP.

Indexed as

BrainObsessive-Compulsive DisorderOndansetronSerotonin 5-HT3 Receptor AntagonistsTic DisordersTourette SyndromeAdultDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultOndansetronSerotonin 5-HT3 Receptor AntagonistsClinical Drug StudiesNeuroimagingObsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)OndansetronTourette’s Disorder

Identifiers

PMID39876680
PMCPMC12622368

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.