Targeted brain circuit treatments for severe OCD
Neuromodulation of OCD Circuitry
This work tests MRI-guided laser lesioning and deep brain stimulation to help people with severe, treatment-resistant OCD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266127 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, surgeons would use MRI-guided laser thermal ventral capsulotomy in about twenty patients while using diffusion imaging to map the brain fibers affected and link those changes to symptom response. A smaller pilot will involve implanting dual deep brain stimulation (DBS) leads in the ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule (vALIC) and the anterior cingulate bundle in four patients, with the Medtronic Percept system used to stimulate and record brain signals. The team will use individual diffusion imaging, electric field modeling, and new analytic methods to personalize targeting and to compare imaging from lesion patients with people receiving intensive non-surgical treatments. Imaging cores and collaborating projects will check for false positives/negatives and help refine which circuit changes relate to benefit.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with severe, treatment-resistant OCD who have not improved with standard medications and therapy and who are medically eligible for neurosurgical or DBS procedures would be the expected candidates.
Not a fit: People with mild OCD, those who respond well to medication or psychotherapy, or those who are not surgical candidates or decline invasive procedures are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make brain-targeted treatments for intractable OCD safer and more effective by matching therapies to each person’s brain circuitry.
How similar studies have performed: Prior capsulotomy and DBS trials have helped some individuals with severe OCD, but combining individualized diffusion-guided targeting with dual-implant recording is relatively novel and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rasmussen, Steven a — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Rasmussen, Steven a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.