Although exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a first-line evidence-based therapy for OCD, some patients unfortunately do not respond to it. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique that can produce acute and persistent changes in brain activity. Dr. Adams’s team has shown that tDCS influences networks in the brain that are associated with OCD and its treatment, and enhances the learning of safety, which is important for ERP’s success. A prior study showed that administering 20 minutes of tDCS before a single session of ERP dramatically improved anxiety reduction during that session.

This study will test the effects of a 10-session treatment integrating tDCS with ERP, to understand if adding tDCS before ERP sessions will safely and feasibly result in faster and larger reductions in OCD symptoms when compared to treatment with sham (placebo) tDCS added to ERP. If successful, this study could significantly impact those living with OCD by providing a novel treatment add-on that can improve response to ERP.