About this trial
The primary goals of this phase 2 clinical trial are to determine the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of oral Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) in adolescents (aged 13-17) with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Between 13-17 years of age with consent of a legal guardian: Participants should be at least 13 years old and not older than 17 years at the day of screening (V1).
Have a primary diagnosis of ADHD as confirmed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID).
Be on a stable appropriate dose of an appropriate first-line pharmacological treatment for at least 8 weeks prior to the day of screening (V1).
Have a score of ≥ 18 on the inattention subset (questions 1-9) and/or the hyperactivity/impulsivity subset (questions 10-18) of the SNAP-IV 26-Item Parent Rating Scale on the day of screening (V1) and the baseline visit (V2).
Disqualifiers
Diagnosis of a Substance Use Disorder within the last 3 months prior to screening. *(Criteria should include Alcohol and Non-Alcohol substances except Cannabis)
Moderate or severe Substance Use Disorder for Cannabis use in the last 3 months
Currently active high suicidality. Eligibility of Participants who meet criteria for moderate suicidality is determined by clinical judgment of Principal Investigator.
Active Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa in the last 3 months.
Trial design
Factorial
Treatments tested in this trial
Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)
DrugParticipants will receive active oral FMT capsules, administered over three consecutive visits with each dose spaced 24 hours apart (20 capsules per visit at Visits 3A, 3B, and 3C). This will be administered following bowel preparation to serve as the primary therapeutic intervention for the active FMT regimen.
Nitazoxanide 500mg BID
DrugParticipants will receive oral combination therapy consisting of Nitazoxanide (500 mg administered in capsule form) taken twice daily for 6 consecutive days, administered concurrently with oral liquid Vancomycin (250 mg) twice daily for 6 days prior to dosing.
Vancomycin 250mg BID
DrugParticipants will receive oral liquid Vancomycin at a dose of 250 mg, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days. This will be taken concurrently with oral Nitazoxanide capsules (500 mg) as part of FMT pre-treatment. Placebo antibiotic receiving participants will receive a matching oral liquid vehicle placebo on the identical twice-daily, 6-day schedule.
Placebo Vancomycin
DrugParticipants will receive a matching oral liquid vehicle placebo, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days.
Placebo Nitazoxanide
DrugParticipants will receive matching oral placebo capsules, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days.
Pico-Salax
DrugParticipants will undergo bowel cleansing prior to the intervention. On the evening before the first day of dosing participants will consume 1.5 sachets of Pico-Salax mixed in water, followed by eight 250 mL glasses of water over the subsequent 60 minutes to induce a bowel purge over an expected 6- to 8-hour period.
Placebo Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT)
DrugParticipants will receive matching oral placebo capsules, administered over three consecutive visits with each dose spaced 24 hours apart (20 capsules per visit at Visits 3A, 3B, and 3C). This will be administered following bowel preparation to serve as the control comparator for the active FMT regimen.
Treatment groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Feasibility: Number of Participants Enrolled
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: Successful enrollment of at least 45 participants across the four trial arms
Feasibility: Number of Participants Completing Study Protocol
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: A minimum of 45 participants to complete study until the 24-week primary endpoint
Feasibility: Number of Prescribed Capsule Doses Successfully Ingested
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by adherence to study protocols: Receive at least 10/20 capsules per dosing visit
Feasibility: Number of Participants Completing Required Study Visits
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by the adherence to study protocols: Attend all visits - attend the baseline visit (Visit 2- V2) and at least 2 follow up visits (V4-10).
Secondary outcomes
Stool Samples - Microbiome Composition - Metagenomics: Change From Baseline in Gut Microbiome Alpha Diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) and Beta Diversity (Bray-Curtis Dissimilarity) via Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing
The effect of FMT on microbiome composition will be assessed through changes from baseline (V2) to post-intervention follow-up (V4-10). Evaluated using shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples analyzed via the MetaPhlAn4 bioinformatics pipeline. Species-level relative abundances are used to calculate the Shannon Diversity Index (alpha diversity) and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity (beta diversity) at each study visit. Higher Shannon values indicate greater microbial community diversity and species richness, while Bray-Curtis dissimilarity measures compositional differences between samples over time. Samples are collected at 5 time points.
Stool Samples - Microbiome Functional Activity - Metabolomics: Change From Baseline in Fecal Metabolite Concentrations Measured via Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) Spectroscopy
The effect of FMT on microbiome functional activity will be assessed through changes in the following from baseline (V2) to post-intervention follow-up (V4-10): Evaluated by quantifying fecal metabolite concentrations from stool samples using a 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectrometer and Chenomx NMR Suite library profiling. Individual target metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids) are quantified across study visits. Samples are collected at 5 time points.
Saliva Samples - Oral Microbiome Composition - Metagenomics: Change From Baseline in Oral Microbiome Alpha Diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) and Beta Diversity (Bray-Curtis Dissimilarity) via Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing
The effect of FMT on oral microbiome composition will be assessed through changes from baseline (V2) to post-intervention follow-up (V4-10). Evaluated using shotgun metagenomic sequencing of saliva samples analyzed via the MetaPhlAn4 bioinformatics pipeline. Species-level relative abundances are used to calculate the Shannon Diversity Index (alpha diversity) and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity (beta diversity) at each study visit. Higher Shannon values indicate greater oral microbial community diversity and species richness, while Bray-Curtis dissimilarity measures compositional differences between samples over time. Samples are collected at 5 time points.
Saliva Samples - Oral Microbiome Composition - Metabolomic Analysis: Change From Baseline in Salivary Metabolite Concentrations Measured via Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) Spectroscopy
To assess the effect of FMT on the oral microbiome through changes in the following from baseline (V2) to post intervention follow up (V4-10): Evaluates functional metabolic changes in saliva by quantifying individual metabolite concentrations using 1H-NMR spectroscopy collected at 5 time points.
Other outcomes
ADHD Symptomology: Change From Baseline in the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Parent Rating Scale IV (SNAP-IV 26) Total Score
Evaluate the effectiveness of adjunct oral FMT with treatment as usual (TAU) ± antibiotics versus TAU ± antibiotics alone in managing ADHD symptoms. This is assessed via changes from baseline to post-intervention follow-up (Weeks 4-24) using the parent-administered Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Parent Rating Scale IV (SNAP-IV 26). Items are scored 0-3 across a total score range of 0-78, where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Functional Impairment: Change From Baseline in the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale Self-Report (WFIRS-S) and Parent-Report (WFIRS-P) Total Score
Evaluate the effectiveness of adjunct oral FMT with treatment as usual (TAU) ± antibiotics versus TAU ± antibiotics alone in managing functional impairment. This is assessed via changes from baseline to post-intervention follow-up (Weeks 4-24) using the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale Self-Report (WFIRS-S) and Parent-Report (WFIRS-P). Items are scored 0-3, where higher total and domain scores indicate greater functional impairment
Anxiety and Depression: Change From Baseline in the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale Self-Report (RCADS) and Parent Version (RCADS-P) Total Score
Evaluate the effectiveness of adjunct oral FMT with treatment as usual (TAU) ± antibiotics versus TAU ± antibiotics alone in managing anxiety and depression. This is assessed via changes from baseline to post-intervention follow-up (Weeks 4-24) using the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale Self-Report (RCADS) and Parent Version (RCADS-P). Individual item scores (0-3) are converted to T-scores, where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Sponsors and contacts
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University of Calgary
Lead sponsor
Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary
Collaborator
Alberta Children's Hospital
Collaborator
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