MagVenture TMS Therapy Cleared for OCD

FDA has cleared a MagVenture 510(k) for its TMS Therapy as an adjunct treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Previously, the device was cleared for treating major depressive disorder.

The device uses repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to delivers magnetic pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the part of the brain controlling the mood. “The rapid change in the magnetic field induces a current, and if the current induced is of sufficient amplitude and duration, it will excite neurons,” the company says. “The treatment specifically targets the networks in the brain which are known to be particularly affected by OCD, including the deeper-lying structures.” It is intended as an adjunct treatment to existing OCD therapies which may involve pharmaceutical and behavioral therapy. It is an out-patient procedure with no systemic side effects, according to TMS Therapy.