Deep Brain Stimulation of the Bilateral Habenula for Treatment-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) offers an effective and safe treatment for patients with debilitating, otherwise treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD). Although several target areas for DBS have been used for OCD, such as the ventral capsule/ventral striatum and the subthalamic nucleus, not all patients show a clinical response, varying from 10% to 61.5%. Exploring new DBS targets may be a key approach to improve this situation. The habenula is an evolutionarily conserved structure playing an important role in depression, punishment avoiding, reward, addiction, pain and circadian rhythms. The habenula can be considered a promising target for OCD treatment based on the following hypotheses and clinical observations.

1. The lateral habenula DBS has significant clinical antidepressant effects.
2. The habenula plays an important role in the regulation of dopamine and serotonin systems.
3. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the first line treatment for OCD, are commonly used to treat clinical depression.
4. The habenula serves as a 'negative reward center' that mediates or moderates stress, negative emotions and thoughts, aversive learning, and goal-directed behavior, which are core clinical symptoms and signs of OCD.
5. In our hospital, DBS of the habenula produced a significant improvement in OCD symptoms in one patient who failed to respond to other treatments, including capsulotomy either alone or in combination combined with cingulumotomy.

These theoretical and clinical considerations indicate that the habenula can be seen as a promising DBS target for OCD treatment. This study is focused on the effectiveness of bilateral DBS of the habenula for patients with treatment-refractory OCD. Furthermore, the study is aimed at exploring the influence of DBS of the habenula on brain activity and cognition.