Timing hormone cycles to improve CBT for OCD
1/2 Harnessing Hormonal Variation to Probe Neural Mechanisms and Optimize CBT Outcomes for OCD
This research looks at whether doing exposure-based CBT during times of higher estrogen helps women with OCD get better, longer-lasting results.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10647760 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would receive standard exposure and ritual prevention (EX/RP) therapy while the team tracks your menstrual cycle and hormonal state, or you would be compared as a male participant. Before and after treatment you would have brain imaging and tests of fear-extinction memory to see how therapy changed brain responses. The study compares outcomes when women get EX/RP during high-estrogen versus low-estrogen phases and also examines differences between women and men. Researchers will link changes in OCD symptoms to changes in brain activity to identify who benefits most from timed treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) with a diagnosis of OCD who are willing to undergo EX/RP therapy, menstrual-cycle tracking (for women), and brain scans are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are pregnant, unable to have MRI scans, already on hormonal treatments that can't be adjusted, or not seeking EX/RP are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help time CBT to hormonal states to make therapy more effective and durable for people with OCD, especially women.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and work in healthy volunteers show estrogen can boost fear extinction, but applying this timing approach to EX/RP in people with OCD is largely new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simpson, Helen Blair — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Simpson, Helen Blair
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.