Clinical Research Directory

Efficacy and Underlying Mechanisms of Group-Based Natural Psychotherapy for Anxiety Disorder

This study aims to preliminarily explore the intervention effect and feasibility of group natural psychotherapy (a new Eastern culture-based psychotherapy method) for patients with anxiety disorder through a randomized controlled trial.

MODELING OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND EXPLORING TREATMENT RESPONSE USING INNOVATIVE THERAPIES AND STEM CELLS

This study focuses on people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who do not respond well to standard treatments. Researchers aim to understand why some patients respond to medications or brain stimulation therapies, while others do not. The study will include 60 patients grouped by their treatment response: 1. Those who respond to medications 2. Those who respond to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) 3. Those who do not respond to either Blood samples will be used to create nerve cells in the lab, allowing scientists to study how these cells react to treatments and brain stimulation. By combining clinical information with lab findings, the goal is to discover biological markers that predict which therapy will work best for each person. This research hopes to improve personalized treatment options for OCD.

Neural Mechanisms of the Sensorymotor Circuit in Sensory Phenomena in OCD

The goal of this clinical study is to investigate the neural mechanisms of abnormal sensory phenomena in patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and to evaluate whether modulation of the insula-supplementary motor area circuit can improve these symptoms. The study will include adult patients with OCD (with or without sensory phenomena) and healthy volunteers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do patients with OCD show abnormal activity in the insula-SMA circuit compared with healthy controls? * Is this abnormality associated with the presence and severity of abnormal sensory phenomena? * Can low-frequency rTMS targeting the Supplementary Motor Area improve sensory phenomena and obsessive-compulsive symptoms? Researchers will compare an on-line rTMS group (viewing body-focused videos during stimulation) with an off-line rTMS group (resting during stimulation) to evaluate whether task engagement enhances treatment effects. Participants will: * Complete clinical assessments and behavioral tasks. * Undergo EEG and fMRI assessments. * Receive low-frequency rTMS targeting the Supplementary Motor Area. * Repeat assessments after the intervention.

tDCS and Symptom Provocation in Treatment-Resistant OCD

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if symptom provocation before transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients. The main question it aims to answer is: Can symptom-provocation before tDCS improve therapeutic response in OCD patients ? Researchers will compare the clinical outcomes of OCD patients having received, in one arm, tDCS and, in the other arm, patients having received tDCS preceded by symptom provocation to see if therapeutic response and various other clinical variables differ.

Assessments of Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms in Patients With Substances Use Disorder

This observational, cross-sectional case-control study evaluates obsessive-compulsive symptoms among adults with substance use disorder compared with a demographically similar control group without substance use disorder. Patients aged 18-50 years attending the addiction management inpatient and outpatient services at Assiut University Hospital, and healthy controls recruited from relatives, friends, and hospital staff, will complete structured clinical interviews, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and other standardized scales for psychiatric symptoms, cognition, and quality of life. The main objective is to estimate the prevalence and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in substance use disorder and examine their associations with sociodemographic and clinical factors, addiction severity, and quality of life in the recovery stage.

Feasibility and Efficacy Trial of a Culturally Adapted Guided Self-Help CBT Manual for OCD

This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a culturally adapted, guided self-help cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) manual specifically designed for individuals with OCD in Pakistan.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Psychotherapy for Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

This study will test how people with OCD respond to a type of noninvasive brain stimulation, repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), when it is combined with psychotherapy. Participants will either engage in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy or supportive therapy (ST) while receiving rTMS. Biobehavioral data from wearable devices and smartphones will be collected to better predict treatment responses. Participants will also undergo repeat resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsfMRI) in order to assess neural predictors and mechanisms of treatment response.

Psilocybin for Treatment of OCD-2

Previous research indicates that psilocybin, a drug that changes activity in brain areas believed to be involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), might improve treatment for, and improve lives of, people diagnosed with OCD. The investigators propose to study 20 patients with symptomatic OCD who are not taking mind altering medications or street drugs, to participate in a 12 week study. Participants will be assigned (by luck of the draw) to take low or high dose psilocybin in four dosing sessions separated by 3 weeks. Measurements for the severity of OCD, ability to function, perception of quality of life, safety and tolerability will be measured at baseline prior to drug administration, during the dosing periods, and at the end of study. Other measurements will include brain imaging via fMRI and brain tracing via electroencephalogram (EEG). The investigators believe that during medically supervised dosing sessions, both doses of psilocybin will be safe and well tolerated, and will reduce OCD symptoms. Because psilocybin is a potent drug and especially at the higher dose may induce altered states of consciousness, a thoughtfully implemented procedure for participant safety is in place. Information will be obtained to explore the effects of altered states of consciousness in the outcome of treatment and to find the mechanism of benefit.

Accelerated rTMS Therapeutic Approach for Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if individualized accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the inferior frontal cortex combined with symptom provocation works to treat obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in adults. It will also learn about the safety of rTMS over right IFC. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does rTMS using a new individualized IFC target relieve participants' OCD symptoms? * What medical problems do participants have when taking rTMS? Participants will: * Take rTMS six times per day for 5 consecutive days * Visit the clinic once at baseline, the day and four weeks after treatment for checkups and tests

Accelerated rTMS in Hospitalized Patients With OCD: a Feasibility and Mechanistic Study

This study investigates a new treatment approach for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a condition characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts and behaviors. The goal is to determine whether combining specialized inpatient care with repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is feasible, well-tolerated, and effective. rTMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain. In this study, two types of rTMS will be tested: deep TMS (dTMS) and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Both treatments will be administered using an accelerated protocol, involving multiple sessions per day over a two-week period. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: two groups will receive either dTMS or iTBS combined with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a recognized psychotherapy for OCD; the third group will receive only ERP without rTMS. Participant Requirements next to treatment: Questionnaires: Patients will complete surveys before the treatment period, immediately after the treatment period, and four weeks post-treatment. MRI \& EEG: Patients will undergo brain imaging (MRI) and brain wave (EEG) recordings before and after the treatment period. Adverse Effects Diary: Patients will maintain a daily log of any side effects experienced during the treatment period. The study aims to assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of this combined treatment approach and to examine its effects on underlying brain processes related to clinical outcomes.

Recovery in Telling Life Stories

This project tests the Recovery In Telling Life Stories (RETELL) intervention, aimed at supporting personal recovery in people with severe mental illness (SMI). While many of those with SMI experience symptom control, their quality of life often remains low due to social loss, negative self-perceptions, and identity-related challenges not addressed by standard treatments. Through a process of narrative repair, the RETELL intervention helps participants explore the personal consequences of mental illness while supporting the enhancement of narratives that strengthen identity and foster well-being. The intervention is delivered across 8-12 sessions and will be assessed for feasibility of both the intervention and study procedures. We will also explore its preliminary impact on recovery, quality of life, symptoms, functioning, self-stigma, and personality, using a multiple single-case A-B-A design. We expect the intervention and study procedures to show acceptable feasibility. We further hypothesize that participants' scores on recovery and well-being will be low at baseline, improve during the intervention, and remain higher after the intervention ends and at 3-month follow-up. This study will provide a foundation for future randomized controlled trials.

Effect of a Family-Based CBT Self-Help Intervention for Adolescents With OCD

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if self-help book can be used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adolescents aged 10 to 17. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can adolescents and their parents effectively reduce the severity of the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adolescents who are already stably taking medications through self-help books? What are the characteristics of adolescents who are best suited to use self-help intervention book to treat obsessive-compulsive symptoms? Researchers will compare the use of a self-help books plus medication with medication alone to see if the combination of the self-help intervention and drug treatment can improve the obsessive-compulsive symptoms of adolescents more effectively. Participants will: * Read one chapter of a self-help book and complete the corresponding exercise each week for 12 weeks * Visit the clinic before and after intervention for checkups and tests

Efficacy and Influencing Factors of ALIC-NAc Deep Brain Stimulation in Treatment-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy and influencing factors of the combination of the anterior limb of internal capsule and nucleus accumbens (ALIC-NAc) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The main questions it aims to answer is: Does the timing of DBS activation (at 1, 2, or 3 months post-surgery) affect the reduction rate in Y-BOCS scores? Researchers will compare three groups-DBS activated at 1, 2, and 3 months post-surgery-to determine whether earlier or later stimulation leads to greater symptom improvement. Participants will: * Undergo surgical implantation of an intracranial neurostimulation system targeting ALIC-NAc * Be randomly assigned to one of three DBS activation timing groups * Receive regular clinical assessments over a 6-month follow-up period after activation