Imaging-Guided Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) (NCT05467085)
Imaging-Guided Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) Neuromodulation of Ventral Striatum in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
This research study is to investigate the safety, feasibility, and possible therapeutic benefits of a technology called Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) in patients with obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD). The device used in this study transmits high frequency sound waves to a particular region of the brain called the Ventral Striatum (VS). LIFU is a non-invasive form of stimulation, which can be used to stimulate deep regions of the brain. In this study, the investigators will administer LIFU to activate the VS area of the brain while also observing this brain stimulation with an MRI machine. Other aims of this study include learning more about the patterns of brain activity associated with OCD and seeing if brain activity changes as symptoms of OCD change over time during the two weeks of LIFU stimulation. Participants in this study will be asked to perform computer administered behavioral tasks -- similar to simple computer games -- to examine whether certain features of OCD (e.g., avoidance of feared triggers) change over the course of LIFU stimulation. The treatment phase of this research study is expected to last two weeks with three weekly (total of 6) treatment sessions all carried at the MRI brain imaging center at Baylor College of Medicine. There will be at least one additional screening visit before treatment starts and a series of follow up visits over a six-month period.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Massachussetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts
Age range: 21 Years to 65 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (3 Sites)
- Massachussetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, Texas
- MD Anderson — Houston, Texas
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
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- Effects of Psilocybin in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — Baltimore, Maryland
- Development of Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for OCD — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Phase II Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Personalized DBS for OCD Guided by Stereoencephalography Mapping — San Francisco, California
- Brain Recordings in Patients Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — Houston, Texas
Explore by condition: All Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.