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The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is continuing to support research into new treatment approaches for patients whose obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) does not respond well to medication and/or psychotherapy. These approaches include combination and add-on treatments, as well as modern techniques such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS involves implantation of microstimulators, similar to those used in heart pacemakers, in targeted brain regions to block the nerve signals believed to cause OCD symptoms. To date, about 25 OCD patients for whom traditional treatment approaches have been ineffective have received DBS implants. The OCD studies, although small, have shown dramatic reductions in symptoms for many patients. The main focus of the new NIMH-funded study is to understand the brain regions involved in OCD and to help determine the most effective pacemaker placement. More research will be necessary before DBS can be considered a usual treatment for OCD.