Do Your Gut Microbes Make You Moody?
EMSL Project ID
60207
Abstract
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 5- 9% of children and substantial numbers of adults. Co-occurring irritability or mood dysregulation is increasingly viewed as a contributing factor in ADHD impairment. While existing pharmacologic treatments often improve symptoms, they contribute to increased irritability for some. Due to concerns over side effects and potential long-term health effects, families and clinicians seek non-pharmacologic, evidence-based treatments. Supplementation with multinutrients (vitamins + minerals) have been studied in three randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trials, showing symptom improvement in adults and children. However, an understanding of the multinutrients’ mechanisms of action is not clear. Using stool samples from 50 children who recently completed the Micronutrients for ADHD in Youth (MADDY) Study, this application proposes to examine one mechanistic possibility for the nutrients’ benefit: the gut microbiota and their metabolites. This application lays the foundation for identifying the biological contributors to emotional dysregulation and clinical response following supplementation with multinutrients, thereby broadening treatment targets for ADHD and for emotional dysregulation, a dimensional trait that spans mental health disorders.
Project Details
Start Date
2021-09-29
End Date
2023-10-01
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members