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Randomized Controlled Trial of Probiotic PS128 in Children with Tourette Syndrome
Chang-Chun Wu1,2,3, Lee-Chin Wong1,3, Chia-Jui Hsu4
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, National Taiwan University Children's Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
Insights
Probiotics did not significantly improve Tourette syndrome tics in children. However, Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 showed potential benefits for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Tourette syndrome involves genetic, environmental, and neurotransmitter factors.
- Current treatments for Tourette syndrome have limitations.
- Comorbidities like ADHD are common in Tourette syndrome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 probiotics in reducing tics in children with Tourette syndrome.
- To assess the impact of probiotics on Tourette syndrome comorbidities.
Main Methods:
- Double-blinded, randomized controlled trial involving children aged 5-18 with Tourette syndrome.
- Intervention with Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 or placebo.
- Primary outcome measured by Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS); secondary outcomes assessed using Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT).
Main Results:
- No significant difference in YGTSS scores between the probiotic and placebo groups.
- The probiotic group showed improvements in commission and detectability on the CPT, suggesting benefits for ADHD symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 did not demonstrate significant tic-reducing effects in children with Tourette syndrome.
- Probiotics may offer benefits for attention and hyperactivity symptoms, common comorbidities in Tourette syndrome.
- Further research is warranted to explore the role of probiotics in managing Tourette syndrome comorbidities.
Abstract:
Tourette syndrome results from a complex interaction between social-environmental factors, multiple genetic abnormalities, and neurotransmitter disturbances. This study is a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial using probiotics Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 as an intervention to examine if probiotics improve symptoms of children with Tourette syndrome. This study enrolled children aged 5 to 18 years old who fulfilled DSM-V diagnostic criteria for Tourette syndrome. Patients were assessed before initiating the trial, at one month, and at two months after randomization. The primary outcome was evaluated by Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), and the secondary outcome studied the possible comorbidities in these children. The results revealed no significant difference in improvement in YGTSS between the control group and the PS128 group. As for secondary endpoints, an analysis of Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT) showed improvement in commission and detectability in the PS128 group. In conclusion, although probiotics may not have tic-reducing effects in children with Tourette syndrome, it may have benefits on comorbidities such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Further studies are needed to clarify the effects of probiotics on the comorbidities of Tourette syndrome children.
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