Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Depression

Major Depressive Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title: Oral Frozen Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) Capsules for Depression: a Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized Parallel Group Study

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders such as major depression disorder (MDD) is increasing rapidly. Despite advancements in the development of therapeutics, current treatment options have not reached optimal efficacy.

Recent interest has been drawn towards the importance of the biochemical signalling between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system also known as the "microbiome-gut-brain axis". The pathogenesis of gut microbiota in extra intestinal diseases was inspired by massive studies in germ free (GF) animals, which indicated that the gut microbiota plays a role in the normal regulation of behaviour that are relevant to mood, anxiety and stress. However, the exact mechanisms by which intestinal dysbiosis are involved in the development of psychiatric diseases are not completely clarified.

A new method to alter the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota involves fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The goal of FMT is to introduce or restore a stable microbial community in the gut by transplanting intestinal microbiota from a healthy donor to the patient. FMT, as a microbiota-target therapy, is arguably very effective for curing recurrent Clostridium difficile infection and has good outcomes in other intestinal diseases. At the same time, applications in previously unexpected areas, including metabolic diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders, autoimmune diseases, allergic disorders, and tumors have shown health enhancing results. FMT has initially been conducted using colonoscopy. However, recent evidence has shown that treatment with frozen FMT capsules (to be taken orally) is also safe and beneficial in restoring the gut microbiota in patients with various diseases As FMT capsules may be an effective, pragmatical adjuvant therapy (in addition to standard treatment) for depression, this project is aimed at (1) investigating for the first time if single administration of FMT capsules ameliorates depressive symptoms in patients with moderate to severe MDD 4 weeks after treatment and (2) establishing the safety profile of encapsulated FMT in MDD. Furthermore, we will also test if (3) FMT capsules modulates immune signalling and inflammatory processes, (4) Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses, (5) neurogenesis, (6) energy balance hormones, (7) gut microbiota composition and (8) brain perfusion, structure and activation.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major
• Major Depressive Disorder

• NCT number: NCT03281044
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: October 24, 2018
• Completion date: March 16, 2020