Who is Eligible for Deep Brain Stimulation for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Eligible patients must be between 18 and 65 years old with severe OCD that does not respond to medications. There must be documented evidence of both severe symptoms and impairment for five years or more despite treatment with medications and behavioral therapy. Patients must also be in good general health, able to understand and comply with instructions, and able to give full informed, written consent. The severity of OCD can be measured using several tests administered by a psychiatrist (M.D.) or psychologist ( Ph.D). For potential treatment with DBS, patients must have OCD as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), confirmed by a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, and a Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale severity score of at least 30.
