Research

Neuroimaging of Olfaction in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Principal Investigator: Heather Berlin, PhD

We are currently recruiting adults with contamination type OCD for participation in a study investigating the neurocircuitry of basic sensory processing in OCD. The research team is led by Dr. Heather Berlin in the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine, and is the first study to examine olfaction in OCD patients while they are undergoing non-invasive brain imaging (fMRI).

For this study, ten individuals diagnosed with contamination type OCD will be compared to ten control subjects on select measures of emotion, personality, and disgust sensitivity, as well as on presentation of various smells during an fMRI scan. You will be asked to answer some questionnaires and complete a one-hour brain scan, and will be reimbursed for your participation. By participating, you may help us to understand further the brain basis of OCD, which may lead to treatments that are more effective.

You may be eligible to participate in the study if:

• You are an adult between the ages of 18-50
• You are right-handed
• You are in good physical health
• You have no impairments to your ability to smell
• You are not claustrophobic
• You are not pregnant
• You are able to undergo a one-hour MRI scan
• You do not have a neurological illness or a history of neurological illness
• You have not been diagnosed with bipolar, psychotic or substance abuse disorders

If you are interested and want more information about the study, please contact Samuel Zhang at 212-241-8075.

Neural Correlates of Emotional Response Inhibition in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Principal Investigator: Heather Berlin, PhD

The Mount Sinai Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Treatment Center is recruiting participants 18 years of age or older with a diagnosis of contamination-type Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for a non-invasive brain imaging study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Participation in this study requires one three-hour visit to the Mount Sinai Medical Center for a clinical evaluation and a separate 60-minute MRI scan, which patients will receive at no charge.

You are eligible for the study if you:

• Are age 18 years or older
• Have been diagnosed with contamination-type Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

You are not eligible for the study if you have:

• Severe medical or neurological illness
• Presence of any type of metal in the body that cannot be removed (e.g., braces)
• Claustrophobia or anxiety that precludes being in the scanner for one hour
• Visual disturbance of sufficient severity as to impair performance while in the scanner without glasses

Behavioral and fMRI Studies of Cognition in Healthy Individuals and Patients With Anxiety
Principle Investigator: Emily R. Stern, PhD

Do you have obsessive-compulsive disorder?
If so, you might be eligible for a research study looking at cognition at Icahn School of Medicine. You must be between the ages of 18 and 50 and be in good physical health. We will ask you to come in for 2-3 separate appointments for a total time commitment of 2 and 6 hours. You will be reimbursed for your participation.

During this experiment you will be asked to complete some computer tasks. You may be asked to do this while sitting in an office, or while having your brain activity measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We may also ask to record some physiological changes in your body while you complete the task.

If you are interested in participating, please contact the Psychiatric NeuroCognition Laboratory at 212-824-8995 or sinaibrainlab@mssm.edu for more information.

A Phase II, Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of RO4917838 in Combination with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ID Number: 12-1148
Principal Investigator: Wayne Goodman

Department or Division: Psychiatry

Description:
Despite advances in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), most patients continue to experience disabling symptoms leading to impaired functioning and diminished quality of life. There remains a need to develop more effective and bettertolerated long-term treatments for OCD.

This 21-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study examines whether patients treated with bitopertin and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) experience fewer symptoms compared with those treated with SSRI only, a currently recommended treatment for OCD.

Contact Information:
Resham Gellatly
Tel: 212-659-1677
E-mail: resham.gellatly@mssm.edu