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CompletedNCT06200935Updated Jan 11, 2024

Action of Probiotics on the Microbiota and Intestinal Permeability in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Their Influence on the Improvement of Language and Learning

An observational study in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, sponsored by Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular. Completed at 1 site in Spain. Open to participants aged 3 Years to 16 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-01-11.

Sponsored by Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Ecologic or community
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
90
Ages
3 Years to 16 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The study included boys and girls with neurodevelopmental disorders between the ages of 3 and 16 years, belonging to two educational centers in Madrid, attended by children with this type of disorder. Both centers have similar characteristics in terms of the type of feeding and management of the children attending them. The study will be randomized, so that probiotics will be administered to some children and placebos to others; and blinded, so that neither the patient nor his family will know whether probiotic or placebo is administered.

The aim of this project is to study the results obtained on microbiota, intestinal permeability, language, behavior and learning of a probiotic combination that will be administered to children in several educational centers that care for children with neurodevelopmental disorders for 5 months.

Read the detailed description

The trial was conducted in 4 stages:

  • Probiotic development, which will be randomized, so that some children will receive the probiotic and others placebos, and blinded, so that neither the children nor their relatives will know whether they take placebo or probiotic.
  • Initial survey to rule out digestive symptoms and resolve possible doubts. Data will be collected on type of housing, location, number of family members, and others. Collection of fecal samples prior to the administration of the probiotic, to carry out a microbiota and intestinal permeability study.
  • Administration of the probiotic preparation or placebo to the subjects for 5 months. Monitoring will be done within each center and in the middle of the treatment the doctors will make a face-to-face visit to see the children.
  • In the last phase a new online visit is made where a complete clinical history and a survey to rule out digestive symptomatology are evaluated. A neurocognitive evaluation is also done using the SENA behavioral test. New fecal samples are collected for a microbiota and intestinal permeability study following the same procedure as in the second stage.
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Conditions studied

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Keywords

  • Neurodevelopment
  • Probiotics
  • Microbiota
  • Learning
  • Children
03

In context

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

332 studies on the registry are indexed under Neurodevelopmental Disorders; 142 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 90 is below the median of 200 across 124 observational studies indexed under Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Browse Neurodevelopmental Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
3 Years to 16 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Boys and girls with neurodevelopmental disorders between 3 and 16 years of age, belonging to two educational centers in Madrid, which are attended by children with this type of disorders. Both centers have similar characteristics in terms of the type of feeding and management of the children attending them.

Inclusion criteria

  • Children with neurodevelopmental disorders between 3 and 16 years old
  • Similar characteristics in terms of type of food

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Digestive symptomatology: gastroesophageal reflux, abdominal pain, flatulence, dysphagia, abdominal distension or constipation
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Study design

Observational model
Ecologic or community
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
90 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Children with neurodevelopmental disorders

    Boys and girls with neurodevelopmental disorders between 3 and 16 years of age, belonging to two educational centers in Madrid, attended by children with this type of disorders. Both centers have similar characteristics in terms of the type of feeding and management of the children attending them

    Dietary Supplement: Probiotic blend

Interventions

  • Dietary supplementProbiotic blend

    Administration of one stick of combined probiotics per day for 5 months

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Microbiota

    Examination of fecal samples

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months

  2. Intestinal permeability

    Examination of fecal samples and a complete medical history and a survey aimed mainly at ruling out digestive symptoms

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Analyze improvement in language, behavior and learning

    By monitoring at the school, asking family members and with a face-to-face visit by the doctor. SENA behavioral test is performed at the end of the study

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months

  2. Analyze the outcome in pre-existing digestive disorders

    A complete medical history and a survey

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months

  3. Analyze the composition of the microbiota and its improvement

    By collecting fecal samples

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Mencía Hermosa Vicente
    Madrid, 28043, Spain
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References and documents

Publications

  • Navarro F, Liu Y, Rhoads JM. Can probiotics benefit children with autism spectrum disorders? World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Dec 14;22(46):10093-10102. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i46.10093. PubMed 28028357 ↗
  • Srikantha P, Mohajeri MH. The Possible Role of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain-Axis in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Apr 29;20(9):2115. doi: 10.3390/ijms20092115. PubMed 31035684 ↗
  • McElhanon BO, McCracken C, Karpen S, Sharp WG. Gastrointestinal symptoms in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2014 May;133(5):872-83. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-3995. PubMed 24777214 ↗
  • Johnson D, Letchumanan V, Thurairajasingam S, Lee LH. A Revolutionizing Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the Microbiome. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 3;12(7):1983. doi: 10.3390/nu12071983. PubMed 32635373 ↗
  • Strati F, Cavalieri D, Albanese D, De Felice C, Donati C, Hayek J, Jousson O, Leoncini S, Renzi D, Calabro A, De Filippo C. New evidences on the altered gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorders. Microbiome. 2017 Feb 22;5(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s40168-017-0242-1. PubMed 28222761 ↗
  • Bezawada N, Phang TH, Hold GL, Hansen R. Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Gut Microbiota in Children: A Systematic Review. Ann Nutr Metab. 2020;76(1):16-29. doi: 10.1159/000505363. Epub 2020 Jan 24. PubMed 31982866 ↗
  • Liu X, Cao S, Zhang X. Modulation of Gut Microbiota-Brain Axis by Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Diet. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Sep 16;63(36):7885-95. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b02404. Epub 2015 Sep 1. PubMed 26306709 ↗
  • Martin R, Laval L, Chain F, Miquel S, Natividad J, Cherbuy C, Sokol H, Verdu EF, van Hylckama Vlieg J, Bermudez-Humaran LG, Smokvina T, Langella P. Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis CNCM-I2494 Restores Gut Barrier Permeability in Chronically Low-Grade Inflamed Mice. Front Microbiol. 2016 May 6;7:608. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00608. eCollection 2016. PubMed 27199937 ↗
  • Hughes KR, Harnisch LC, Alcon-Giner C, Mitra S, Wright CJ, Ketskemety J, van Sinderen D, Watson AJ, Hall LJ. Bifidobacterium breve reduces apoptotic epithelial cell shedding in an exopolysaccharide and MyD88-dependent manner. Open Biol. 2017 Jan;7(1):160155. doi: 10.1098/rsob.160155. PubMed 28123052 ↗
  • Fornai M, Pellegrini C, Benvenuti L, Tirotta E, Gentile D, Natale G, Ryskalin L, Colucci R, Piccoli E, Ghelardi E, Blandizzi C, Antonioli L. Protective effects of the combination Bifidobacterium longum plus lactoferrin against NSAID-induced enteropathy. Nutrition. 2020 Feb;70:110583. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2019.110583. Epub 2019 Sep 12. PubMed 31739175 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Preparation of a scientific article

Supporting information: Study protocol

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 11, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06200935
Lead sponsor
Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular
Collaborators
Industrial Farmacéutica Cantabria, S.A.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 11, 2024
Start date
Oct 1, 2021
Primary completion
Aug 1, 2022
Completion
Oct 1, 2022
Last update
Jan 11, 2024

Study contacts

Pablo Lapunzina
principal investigator · Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular (INGEMM)

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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