Scientists in a new study on the impact of probiotics on the symptoms of children with Tourette syndrome have found that probiotics may have benefits on comorbidities such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Tourette syndrome is caused by a complex interaction between multiple genetic abnormalities, social-environmental factors, and neurotransmitter disturbances. People with this syndrome are 85% more likely to develop mental illnesses such as ADHD and OCD during their lifetime, followed by mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and destructive behavioral disorders.
Since neurotransmitters play an important role in this syndrome and probiotics are capable of altering the brain and host behavior through the gut-brain axis (GBA), studies have been done on the effects of probiotics and pediatric neurological diseases. The role of gut microbiota in neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric diseases, however, is complex and has many influencing factors.
Probiotic PS128 (Lactobacillus Plantarum) has been demonstrated in animal studies to be a psychobiotic strain that regulates the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, as well as the concentration of dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites in the striatum. Increasing. In addition, in a randomized controlled trial that examined the effects of PS128 on children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), the participants’ teachers observed that the severity of tics in these children decreased. Another study in children with ASD also showed significant improvement after treatment with PS128.
Therefore, a randomized trial at the National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital among 58 participants aged 5 to 18 years with a diagnosis of Tourette’s syndrome: to test the hypothesis that PS128 may improve symptoms in children with Tourette syndrome and its comorbidities. Participants were allowed to continue their usual Tourette or ADHD medications without changing their medication and dosage and were asked to refrain from consuming probiotic products for a period of two months.
Evidence from the findings suggests that ADHD symptoms may be due to a decrease in the two neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin. Because in germ-free mice, PS128 increases dopamine and serotonin levels, it can be said that an increase in dopamine in the brain is possible; Explain the improvement of ADHD symptoms.
The researchers concluded in a two-month study that the PS128 probiotic did not affect the severity of tics in children but improved the symptoms of ADHD. Of course, it should also be noted that larger and longer tests need to be performed to fully understand the effect of probiotics on Tourette’s children.
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