RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of short-term, high-dose probiotic supplementation on cognition, related brain functions and BDNF in patients with depression: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial
JF Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
JO JPN
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E23
OP E33
DO 10.1503/jpn.220117
VO 48
IS 1
A1 Else Schneider
A1 Jessica P.K. Doll
A1 Nina Schweinfurth
A1 Cedric Kettelhack
A1 Anna-Chiara Schaub
A1 Gulnara Yamanbaeva
A1 Nimmy Varghese
A1 Laura Mählmann
A1 Serge Brand
A1 Anne Eckert
A1 Stefan Borgwardt
A1 Undine E. Lang
A1 André Schmidt
YR 2023
UL http://jpn.ca/content/48/1/E23.abstract
AB Background: In major depressive disorder (MDD), cognitive dysfunctions strongly contribute to functional impairments but are barely addressed in current therapies. Novel treatment strategies addressing cognitive symptoms in depression are needed. As the gut microbiota–brain axis is linked to depression and cognition, we investigated the effect of a 4-week high-dose probiotic supplementation on cognitive symptoms in depression.Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 60 patients with MDD, of whom 43 entered modified intention-to-treat analysis. A probiotic supplement or indistinguishable placebo containing maltose was administered over 31 days in addition to treatment as usual for depression. Participant scores on the Verbal Learning Memory Test (VLMT), Corsi Block Tapping Test, and both Trail Making Test versions as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were assessed at 3 different time points: before, immediately after and 4 weeks after intervention. Additionally, brain activation changes during working memory processing were investigated before and immediately after intervention.Results: We found a significantly improved immediate recall in the VLMT in the probiotic group immediately after intervention, and a trend for a time × group interaction considering all time points. Furthermore, we found a time × group interaction in hippocampus activation during working memory processing, revealing a remediated hippocampus function in the probiotic group. Other measures did not reveal significant changes.Limitations: The modest sample size resulting from our exclusion of low-compliant cases should be considered.Conclusion: Additional probiotic supplementation enhances verbal episodic memory and affects neural mechanisms underlying impaired cognition in MDD. The present findings support the importance of the gut microbiota–brain axis in MDD and emphasize the potential of microbiota-related regimens to treat cognitive symptoms in depression.Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02957591.