TerminatedNot Applicable

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Stopped: poor recruitment

United States6 participantsStarted 2021-01-25

Plain-language summary

In this study, the investigators aim to understand the role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in modulating aberrant neurocognitive processes implicated in pediatric patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Who can participate

Age range

10 Years – 17 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion criteria

. Outpatient youth between the ages 10-17 years
. Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) ≥16 (moderately severe). OCD must be determined to be the primary or co-primary diagnosis using the The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children- Computer administered version (KSADS-COMP) based on all available information.
. Child has a full-scale IQ≥85 as assessed on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence® Second Edition (WASI®-II) (within 90% CI). To decrease participant burden, the WASI®-II will only be conducted in cases of suspected intellectual disability after meeting with the PI.
. English speaking.

Exclusion criteria

. Receiving concurrent psychotherapy for subject's OCD (except maintenance).Subjects receiving pre- established concurrent psychotherapy for at least 8 weeks regarding other psychological issues are eligible for enrollment.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change in Stop Signal Task

Timeframe: 50 minutes- 20 minutes before and immediately after a single 30 minute tDCS session

Change in Fear Extinction Recall Task

Timeframe: Within 12-24 hours after the tDCS session the day before

Change in Model-Based Index on the Two-stage Sequential Reinforcement Learning Task (Sequential Spaceship Task)

Timeframe: 40 minutes- immediately before and 10 minutes after a 30 minute single tDCS session

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04548609

SponsorMassachusetts General Hospital

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2025-03-05

Results submitted2026-03-05

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder trials