Project Summary

Benjamin D. Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D. (Independent Investigator 2000) of Butler Hospital, proposes to study a technique called deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in patients who do not respond to standard treatments. DBS is believed to work by blocking abnormal activity in brain circuits in a region called the internal capsule. In this project, stimulating electrodes will be placed into the internal capsule and connected to a battery pack which will be placed under the skin. An intensive five-day preliminary trial will begin, followed by a longer-term outpatient phase. In addition, positron emission tomography (PET) scans will be performed to quantify how the stimulation changes activity in brain circuits believed to underlie OCD symptoms. This work will provide preliminary data on the safety and effectiveness of DBS in OCD patients who do not respond to conventional treatments.

Program Area: ANXIETY DISORDERS\Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

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