Effectiveness of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Improving Cognitive Flexibility and Working Memory in Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Keywords:
transcranial electrical stimulation, cognitive flexibility, working memory, obsessive, compulsive disorder, executive functionsAbstract
Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of transcranial electrical stimulation in improving cognitive flexibility and working memory in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments and a control group. The study population consisted of women aged 20–45 years with obsessive-compulsive disorder who attended treatment clinics in Shiraz. A total of 60 participants were selected using purposive sampling and assigned to two groups: the transcranial electrical stimulation group and the control group, with 30 participants in each group. Cognitive flexibility was assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and working memory was assessed using the N-back task. The experimental group participated in the transcranial electrical stimulation program, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate tests, mixed-design analysis of variance with repeated measures, and the Bonferroni post hoc test.
Findings: The effect of the intervention on cognitive flexibility was statistically significant (Wilks’ λ = .494, F = 11.05, p = .001, η² = .506). The time × group interaction was significant for the number of categories completed correctly (F = 15.50, p = .001, η² = .211) and perseverative errors (F = 8.23, p = .004, η² = .124). The intervention also had a significant effect on working memory (Wilks’ λ = .514, F = 10.20, p = .001, η² = .486). The time × group interaction was significant for response time (F = 23.10, p = .001, η² = .285) and correct responses (F = 8.10, p = .006, η² = .123). Differences between the posttest and follow-up assessments were not statistically significant for the primary indices, indicating the relative stability of the observed changes.
Conclusion: Transcranial electrical stimulation may be considered a complementary intervention for enhancing cognitive flexibility and working memory in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Given the limitations related to the sample and the reported details of the stimulation protocol, the generalization of these findings requires caution and replication in more rigorously designed clinical trials.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sepideh Mortezaeifar (Author); Shahin Fathi Hafshejani (Corresponding author); Ali Mohammad Rezaei (Author)
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