Previous studies have questioned whether gut microbial imbalance and vitamin D deficiency are associated with schizophrenia.New research published in Neuropsychopharmacology report There is now evidence that taking probiotics and vitamin D supplements may improve cognitive function in people with the disease.
In this study, 70 adults with schizophrenia were randomized to receive either a placebo or a probiotic supplement plus 400 IU of vitamin D daily for 12 weeks. Disease severity and cognitive function were assessed using tests called the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the 30-point Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), respectively.
A total of 69 patients completed the study. MoCA scores increased by 1.96 units in the probiotic-containing supplement group compared to the placebo group. Additionally, the proportion of patients with a MoCA score of 26 or higher (indicating normal cognition) increased significantly in the intervention group. Differences between groups in PANSS scores were not significant.
Probiotics could be a new way to treat mental illnesses by modulating the gut microbiome. ”
Gita Sadighi, MD, Iranian University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences Corresponding author
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Reference magazines:
Mohammadi, A. other. (2024) Coadministration of probiotics and vitamin D significantly improves cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Neuropsychopharmacology report. doi.org/10.1002/npr2.12431.
