Obsessive-Compulsive SymptomsAKILI - OCSNCT07839013
Brain Function and Cognitive Control Training in Children With Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms
A study of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Cognitive Control, run by Columbia University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about brain function and cognition in children ages 8-12 who have subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), such as unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 8 to 12 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Cognitive Control
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Oct 2026to 30 Jun 2030
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 8 to 12 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Age 8 to 12 years at the time of consent (i.e., 8.00 - 12.99 years).
- Will have definite obsession(s) and/or compulsion(s)
- NO current or lifetime history of meeting DSM-5 criterion B for OCD.
- Not on psychotropic medication (either treatment-naïve or free of psychotropic medication for at least one month) or on stable medication regime for ADHD (e.g., stimulants).
- Capacity to provide written informed assent by the participants and permission by the parent/guardian.
Who cannot join
- DSM-5 current major depressive disorder.
- DSM-5 current or lifetime diagnosis of OCD, PTSD, substance/alcohol abuse, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, pervasive developmental disorder.
- Current or lifetime history of a major medical or neurological problem (e.g., unstable hypertension, seizure disorder, major head trauma).
- Active suicidal ideation with some intent to act.
- Presence of metallic device (ferromagnetic implants or dental braces).
- Females who are pregnant or nursing.
- Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence II Full-scale IQ <80.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, 10032
Dana Diaz, (646) 774-5128, ChildBrainTrain@nyspi.columbia.edu
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about brain function and cognition in children ages 8-12 who have subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), such as unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors. The study will also examine whether patterns of brain activity are related to how children respond to cognitive training.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
Read more
- Are there different patterns of brain activity related to cognitive control among children with OCS?
- Are these patterns related to differences in OCS or cognition?
- Can brain activity before training help predict changes in cognitive control or OCS severity after cognitive training?
Participants will:
- Complete clinical interviews, questionnaires, and tests of cognition.
- Have a magnetic resonance imaging scan while completing a cognitive control task.
- Complete video-game-based cognitive training on an iPad for about 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks.
- Complete another set of clinical interviews and questionnaires after the training.
- Conditions
- Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Cognitive Control
- Being tested
- Cognitive Control Training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cognitive Control TrainingDevice
Also called AKL-T01, Akili
Digital, at-home cognitive training program (AKL-T01) delivered on iPad (25 minutes/day, 5 days/week) for 4 weeks. Styled as a child-friendly video game, AKL-T01 cognitive training taps skills like focused attention, response inhibition, and working memory using a series of games with individually titrated difficulty to engage cognitive control processes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Training for Subclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms | Experimental | This is an open-label, one-arm study. Children who have subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (CY-BOCS score 1-12) will complete 4-weeks of at-home cognitive training. Receives: Device: Cognitive Control Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery
Standardized Fluid Cognition Composite Score derived from the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Scores are norm-referenced with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15; higher scores indicate better cognitive functioning.
Measured: Baseline, post-cognitive training (4 weeks)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Sep 2026
- Study start15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Obsessive-Compulsive SymptomsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Columbia UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Columbia University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dana Diaz, Columbia University
- Investigators
- Dana Diaz, PhD, Principal investigator, Columbia University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07839013
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ACYY1655
- Other IDs
- 1K01MH141273-01A1
- Acronym
- AKILI - OCS
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Brain Function and Cognitive Control Training in Children With Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07839013
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AKILI - OCS / ACYY1655
- Conditions
- Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Cognitive Control
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Columbia UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about brain function and cognition in children ages 8-12 who have subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), such as unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors. The study will also examine whether patterns of brain activity are related to how children respond to cognitive training.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
- Are there different patterns of brain activity related to cognitive control among children with OCS?
- Are these patterns related to differences in OCS or cognition?
- Can brain activity before training help predict changes in cognitive control or OCS severity after cognitive training?
Participants will:
- Complete clinical interviews, questionnaires, and tests of cognition.
- Have a magnetic resonance imaging scan while completing a cognitive control task.
- Complete video-game-based cognitive training on an iPad for about 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks.
- Complete another set of clinical interviews and questionnaires after the training.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Training for Subclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms | Experimental | Device: Cognitive Control TrainingThis is an open-label, one-arm study. Children who have subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms (CY-BOCS score 1-12) will complete 4-weeks of at-home cognitive training. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 8 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age 8 to 12 years at the time of consent (i.e., 8.00 - 12.99 years).
- Will have definite obsession(s) and/or compulsion(s)
- NO current or lifetime history of meeting DSM-5 criterion B for OCD.
- Not on psychotropic medication (either treatment-naïve or free of psychotropic medication for at least one month) or on stable medication regime for ADHD (e.g., stimulants).
- Capacity to provide written informed assent by the participants and permission by the parent/guardian.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- DSM-5 current major depressive disorder.
- DSM-5 current or lifetime diagnosis of OCD, PTSD, substance/alcohol abuse, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, pervasive developmental disorder.
- Current or lifetime history of a major medical or neurological problem (e.g., unstable hypertension, seizure disorder, major head trauma).
- Active suicidal ideation with some intent to act.
- Presence of metallic device (ferromagnetic implants or dental braces).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Control TrainingAlso: AKL-T01, AkiliDigital, at-home cognitive training program (AKL-T01) delivered on iPad (25 minutes/day, 5 days/week) for 4 weeks. Styled as a child-friendly video game, AKL-T01 cognitive training taps skills like focused attention, response inhibition, and working memory using a series of games with individually titrated difficulty to engage cognitive control processes. | Device | Cognitive Training for Subclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms |
Primary outcome
NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery
Time frame: Baseline, post-cognitive training (4 weeks)
Standardized Fluid Cognition Composite Score derived from the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Scores are norm-referenced with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15; higher scores indicate better cognitive functioning.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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tDCS and Symptom Provocation in Treatment-Resistant OCD
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Gamified Combined Cognitive Bias Modification in Adults Diagnosed With OCD: Randomized Controlled Trial
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Dana Diaz, PhD principal investigator
Columbia University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Cognitive Control, run by Columbia University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Dana Diaz ((646) 774-5128, ChildBrainTrain@nyspi.columbia.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (time frame: Baseline, post-cognitive training (4 weeks)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Sep 2026.