ArticleCommunications medicine2026
Clinical symptoms and cognitive functioning following adjunctive N-acetylcysteine in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Article in Communications medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Efficacy and tolerability of ketamine in moderate to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review.Psychopharmacology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often remains partially responsive to first-line treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutamate-modulating antioxidant, has shown promise as an adjunctive therapy, but prior studies frequently lacked standardized pharmacotherapy and cognitive outcome measures, particularly in Iranian populations.
methodsIn this 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (IRCT20170123032145N7, registered on 2023-06-08), 35 adults with moderate to severe OCD were assigned to receive sertraline (200 mg/day) augmented with either NAC (2400 mg/day) or placebo. Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) at baseline, weeks 4, 8, and 12. Cognitive functioning was evaluated before and after treatment using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the D2 Test of Attention.
resultsThis pilot study reveals a significant Time × Group interaction for Y-BOCS Total (p < 0.005), with the NAC group showing greater symptom reduction than placebo. The Obsession subscale demonstrates the strongest effect (p < 0.001), while Compulsion subscale improvements are comparable between groups. Clinical response rate ( ≥ 35% Y-BOCS reduction) is significantly higher in the NAC group (100%) versus placebo (92.6%, p = 0.004). Both groups improve on cognitive measures (processing speed and attention) over time, with no significant between-group differences. Adverse events are mild and comparable.
conclusionsAdjunctive NAC may enhance early clinical response in OCD, particularly for obsessions, when added to high-dose SSRI (Sertraline) treatment. However, no cognitive advantage is observed within the 12-week period. These preliminary findings support NAC's safety and potential utility as a short-term adjunctive treatment in OCD.
Identifiers
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.