Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40583539›Full record

Trial reportCNS spectrums2025

A single-blind, randomized controlled trial of transcranial direct current stimulation in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder as early augmentation.

Lokesh Kumar, Bandna Gupta, Adarsh Tripathi, Mohita Joshi, Sujita Kumar Kar

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in CNS spectrums, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

5 authors.

Lokesh KumarDepartment of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/00gvw6327King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.ORCID 0000-0002-7293-1651
Bandna GuptaDepartment of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/00gvw6327King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.ORCID 0000-0002-4043-4407
Adarsh TripathiDepartment of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/00gvw6327King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.ORCID 0000-0002-3885-6475
Mohita JoshiDepartment of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/00gvw6327King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.ORCID 0000-0003-0066-4627
Sujita Kumar KarDepartment of Psychiatry, https://ror.org/00gvw6327King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.ORCID 0000-0003-1107-3021

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a promising neuromodulation technique for managing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Early intervention with tDCS may lead to improved treatment outcomes for individuals with OCD, offering hope for more effective and timely intervention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tDCS as an early augmentation strategy in adults with OCD.

methodsDrug-free adult patients with OCD were randomized into active and sham groups and received fluoxetine 20 mg (up to 60 mg). The protocol involved placing the cathode over the left supplementary motor area and the anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, using a 2-mA current for 20 minutes, with a ramp time of 10 seconds. A total of 10 sessions were given over 2 weeks. Following the baseline assessment, both illness severity and side effects were measured periodically at 2, 4, and 6 weeks.

resultsA total of 40 patients completed this study (20 in each group). The active group demonstrated a significant reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores at 2, 4, and 6 weeks compared with the sham group, with a number needed to treat of 2.5. Additionally, the effect size of the intervention at 2 weeks was calculated to be 0.58, indicating a moderate effect according to Cohen's

conclusionEarly augmentation with tDCS is a safe and effective method for rapidly reducing symptom severity in adult patients with OCD.

Indexed as

Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultFemaleFluoxetineHumansMaleMiddle AgedSelective Serotonin Reuptake InhibitorsSingle-Blind MethodTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultFluoxetineSelective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitorsearly augmentation strategyefficacyneuromodulation techniqueobsessive-compulsive disordersafetyTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40583539
PMCPMC13064717

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Registered trials

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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.