The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis and Integrated Electric Fields Modeling Analysis
Bianca Silva Pinto,
Beatriz Araújo Cavendish,
Pedro Henrique Rodrigues da Silva,
Paulo Jeng Chian Suen,
Kalian Almeida Pereira Marinho,
Leandro da Costa Lane Valiengo,
Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt,
André Russowsky Brunoni,
Laís Boralli Razza
Affiliations
Bianca Silva Pinto
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Beatriz Araújo Cavendish
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Pedro Henrique Rodrigues da Silva
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Paulo Jeng Chian Suen
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Kalian Almeida Pereira Marinho
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Leandro da Costa Lane Valiengo
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt
Department of Head and Skin, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
André Russowsky Brunoni
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Laís Boralli Razza
Serviço Interdisciplinar de Neuromodulação (SIN), Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-903, Brazil
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been showing promising effects for the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), but there is still no conclusion on its efficacy for this disorder. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials using tDCS for OCD and a computer modeling analysis to evaluate the electric field (EF) strengths of different electrode assemblies in brain regions of interest (ROIs) (PROSPERO-42021262465). PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to 25 September 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and open-label studies were included. The primary aim was the effect size (Hedges’ g) of continuous outcomes and potential moderators of response. For EF modeling, SimNIBS software was used. Four RCTs and four open-label trials were included (n = 241). Results revealed a large effect of tDCS in the endpoint, but no significant effect between active and sham protocols. No predictor of response was found. EF analysis revealed that montages using the main electrode over the (pre)supplementary motor area with an extracephalic reference electrode might lead to stronger EFs in the predefined ROIs. Our results revealed that tDCS might be a promising intervention to treat OCD; however, larger studies are warranted.
