A Possible Link Between Early Probiotic Intervention and the Risk of Neuropsychiatric Disorders Later in Childhood: A Randomized Trial
SOURCE: Pediatr Res. 2015 (Jun); 77 (6): 823–828
Pärtty A, Kalliomäki M, Wacklin P, Salminen S, Isolauri E
Department of Pediatrics,
University of Turku and Turku University Hospital,
Turku, Finland
Finnish Red Cross Blood Service,
Helsinki, Finland.
Functional Foods Forum,
University of Turku,
Turku, Finland.
BACKGROUND: Recent experimental evidence suggests that gut microbiota may alter function within the nervous system providing new insight on the mechanism of neuropsychiatric disorders.
METHODS: Seventy-five infants who were randomized to receive Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) or placebo during the first 6 mo of life were followed-up for 13 y. Gut microbiota was assessed at the age of 3 wk, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 mo, and 13 y using fluorescein in situ hybridization (FISH) and qPCR, and indirectly by determining the blood group secretor type at the age of 13 y. The diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger syndrome (AS) by a child neurologist or psychiatrist were based on ICD-10 diagnostic criteria.
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RESULTS: At the age of 13 y, ADHD or AS was diagnosed in 6/35 (17.1%) children in the placebo and none in the probiotic group (P = 0.008). The mean (SD) numbers of Bifidobacterium species bacteria in feces during the first 6 mo of life was lower in affected children 8.26 (1.24) log cells/g than in healthy children 9.12 (0.64) log cells/g; P = 0.03.
CONCLUSION: Probiotic supplementation early in life may reduce the risk of neuropsychiatric disorder development later in childhood possible by mechanisms not limited to gut microbiota composition.
Incredibly important findings here. Hopefully we’ll come to fully understand the benefits of probiotic supplements and how it can help people, and exactly HOW it’s helping people. Glad to see that such a simple thing can have such a big impact on a child’s future like this.