title: Effect of probiotic supplementation on schizophrenia symptoms and association with gastrointestinal functioning: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A range of immune system abnormalities have been associated with schizophrenia. Probiotic compounds modulate the immune response and offer a potential treatment strategy for schizophrenia. Probiotic compounds have also been observed to improve gastrointestinal dysfunction, which is a common problem in individuals with schizophrenia. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine whether probiotic supplementation can reduce symptom severity in patients with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotic treatment and also whether probiotics are associated with bowel functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients with schizophrenia (N = 65) meeting DSM-IV criteria and with at least moderately severe psychotic symptoms were enrolled in the study from December 2010-August 2012. Following a 2-week placebo run-in period, patients were randomly assigned to 14 weeks of double-blind adjunctive probiotic (combined Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain Bb12) or placebo therapy. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed biweekly with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and patients were queried weekly about their gastrointestinal functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed no significant differences in the PANSS total score between probiotic and placebo supplementation (F = 1.28, P = .25). However, patients in the probiotic group were less likely to develop severe bowel difficulty over the course of the trial (hazard ratio = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09-0.61, P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Probiotic supplementation may help prevent a common somatic symptom associated with schizophrenia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01242371.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Faith B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Cassie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stallings
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Origoni
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katsafanas
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Christina L G
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Lucy A B
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schweinfurth
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Joshana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goga
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khushalani
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Sheppard Pratt Health System (Drs Dickerson, Goga, and Khushalani and Mss Stallings, Origoni, Katsafanas, Savage, and Schweinfurth); and Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Dr Yolken), Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Yolken