An open trial of electroconvulsive therapy was conducted in nine subjects who met
DSM-III criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder. There was an initial
reduction in symptomatology that lasted from 1 to 4 months. Subjects who had less
obsessive-compulsive (anankastic) personality traits responded better. There was
also the post hoc observation that subjects who were agitated did better. We
observed correlations between depression and interference scores, but not with
symptom scores, suggesting that ECT has anti-obsessional activity.