Clinical trials

This pilot randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial will evaluate the effect of a synbiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and agave inulin on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in adults aged 60-75 years attending the Defense Medical Specialties Unit. Forty participants with MCI will be randomized into two groups of 20 participants. The intervention will consist of daily administration of L. acidophilus LA-5 (4 × 10⁹ CFU), 7 g of agave inulin, and almond powder for 12 weeks, while the control group will receive almond powder as the vehicle. After a two-week washout period, participants will cross over to the alternate intervention for an additional 12 weeks. Cognitive function will be assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Memory Alteration Test (M@T), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Secondary assessments will explore potential mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis by measuring fecal L. acidophilus LA-5 and butyrate, as well as serum BDNF and inflammatory biomarkers including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. The study aims to determine whether synbiotic supplementation improves cognitive performance in older adults with MCI and whether these changes are accompanied by modifications in gut microbial activity, short-chain fatty acid production, neurotrophic signaling, and systemic inflammation.

This randomized crossover clinical trial aims to evaluate the effect of a synbiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and inulin on cognitive function in adults with obesity and mild cognitive impairment. Forty participants aged 30-40 years will be randomly assigned to two groups. Participants will receive either the synbiotic intervention or a control preparation, followed by crossover to the alternate intervention. Cognitive function will be evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Memory Alteration Test (M@T). Fecal butyrate and Lactobacillus acidophilus, as well as serum inflammatory cytokines and BDNF, will also be assessed to explore potential mechanisms involving the gut-brain axis.

This study investigates the effects of a symbotic supplement (Inulin + Lactobacillus acidophilus) on cognitive impairment in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by insulin deficiency or resistance, leading to hyperglycemia and long-term complications, including cognitive decline. Cognitive impairment in T2DM patients is linked to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and disrupted insulin signaling in the brain. The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in cognition, with gut microbiota influencing neuroinflammatory processes. Dysbiosis, common in T2DM, exacerbates cognitive decline. Probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus and prebiotics like inulin can restore gut microbiota balance, reduce inflammation, and promote brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, improving cognitive function. This randomized, crossover clinical trial will enroll 24 patients aged 50-65 with T2DM and mild cognitive impairment. Participants will be divided into control and experimental groups, with an 8-week intervention phase followed by a crossover. The experimental group will receive 8g of inulin and L. acidophilus daily, while the control group will receive a placebo. Cognitive assessments (MMSE, MoCA), PET-CT imaging, gut microbiota sequencing, and butyrate measurements will evaluate the intervention's effects. The study aims to determine whether symbiotic supplementation can improve cognitive function and metabolic brain activity in T2DM patients. If successful, it may offer an accessible, non-pharmacological approach to mitigating diabetes-related cognitive decline. The research is funded by the Universidad Anáhuac Health Sciences Research Center and international diabetes research organizations.

Cognitive impairment is one of the fastest growing diseases in the last decades, given the significant increase in senior citizen population in Mexico and the world. Several studies have discussed the gut-microbiota-brain axis. It has been demonstrated that a balanced gut microbiota, prevents an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines that affect specific brain areas; having an important impact at the cortical level of the hippocampus which translates to diminished cognitive function and the start of cognitive impairment symptoms. After multiple studies on the effect of the administration of symbiotics in animal models in cognition and memory, there have been positive results, observing improvement in cognition and decrement in inflammatory cytokines at hippocampus level.