Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in the regulation and development of psychological and physical processes. The first year of life is a critical period for the development of the gut microbiome, which parallels important milestones in establishing sleep rhythm and neurodevelopment. Growing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome influences sleep, cognition, and early neurodevelopment. For term and preterm-born infants, difficulties in sleep regulation can have major consequences on infants' health, attachment between infants and their caregivers, and can even lead to life-threatening consequences such as shaken-baby syndrome. Preterm born infants are at even higher risk for sleep and neurodevelopmental problems. Although neonatal care has improved over recent decades, preterm birth rates continue to rise and lead to a wide range of neurodevelopmental disabilities that are unaddressed with current therapies. Given the importance of sleep and the gut microbiome for brain maturation, neurodevelopment, and behavior, identifying effective interventions within the gut-brain axis at the beginning of life is likely to have long-term implications for health and development of at-risk infants. The aims of this project are to I) demonstrate the association between the gut microbiome, sleep patterns and health outcomes in children up to two years of age; and II) to leverage gut microbiome-brain-sleep interactions to develop new intervention strategies for at-risk infants. The investigators hypothesize that the establishment of a healthy gut microbiome during early life is crucial for both short- and long-term child health outcomes, as dysbiosis can harm sleep regulation, brain maturation, and neurobehavioral development. The investigators predict that the administration of synbiotics improves microbiota establishment, sleep rhythm, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This project integrates a randomized controlled trial (RCT), ex vivo, and in silico experiments with I) key technology platforms for computational modeling to capture the ontogenic norms of gut microbiota; II) neuronal and actimetry-based quantification of multidimensional aspects of infant sleep; III) breath metabolomics (exhalomics) of host and microbiome metabolism; and IV) high-throughput ex vivo models for investigating host-microbiome interactions. Outcomes include I) an understanding of age-normative microbiome composition, its variation (circadian, inter-individual), and the factors that influence the microbiome's plasticity throughout infancy; II) actionable knowledge of microbial species and metabolism that can be targeted to modify sleep regulation and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes, especially in at-risk infants (e.g., preterm-born); III) microbial and metabolic biomarkers with diagnostic potential for later regulatory and behavioral problems; and IV) an open-source analytical "toolbox" for microbial multi-omics that can be immediately applied in other areas of microbiome-host research. To achieve these goals, our strategy combines multiple disciplines focusing on factors that exert the greatest influence on health during infancy: the gut microbiome, sleep regulation, and neurodevelopment. The impact of this project is substantial and globally relevant, as it advances possible treatment options for supporting neurodevelopmental health in preterm- and term-born infants, explores novel translational approaches for addressing regulatory difficulties, and provides key information for tailored prophylactic synbiotics and possible development of "post-biotics". Further, the study supports the investigation of biomarkers for neurodevelopment and advances early prevention of developmental and mental illnesses.


Clinical Trial Description

n/a


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT06396689
Study type Interventional
Source University of Fribourg
Contact Petra Zimmermann, MD, PhD
Phone +412063060000
Email petra.zimmermann@unifr.ch
Status Not yet recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date September 1, 2024
Completion date August 31, 2028

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Recruiting NCT03222375 - SQUEDâ„¢ Series 28.1 Home-use and Treatment of Autowave Reverberator of Autism N/A
Completed NCT00247585 - Hangover, Congeners, Sleep and Occupational Performance Phase 2
Completed NCT02557425 - Prophylaxis Against Malaria to Enhance Child Development (PROTECT Study)
Completed NCT00515294 - Acute and Residual Effects of Caffeinated Beer Phase 2
Completed NCT03268590 - Neuroimaging During Pure Oxygen Breathing Phase 4
Recruiting NCT03862950 - A Trial of Metformin in Individuals With Fragile X Syndrome (Met) Phase 2
Completed NCT03407729 - Measuring Brain Activity of School Age Children
Active, not recruiting NCT04937452 - Dopaminergic Therapy for Frontotemporal Dementia Patients Phase 2
Terminated NCT01506349 - Assessing Neurocognitive Effects of Gluten Exposure N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT05934422 - NiPPeR Randomised Trial - Child Follow Up Study N/A
Completed NCT01782378 - Scalp Application of LED Therapy to Improve Thinking and Memory in Veterans With Gulf War Illness N/A
Completed NCT01953068 - Executive Reaction Time Test in Assessment of Cognitive Dysfunction After Aortic Valve Procedures
Completed NCT01061242 - Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Sleep Quality and Neurocognitive Performance N/A
Terminated NCT02306460 - Frontal Cognitive Control Functions Before and After Percutaneous Catheter Procedures in Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
Completed NCT02680210 - Self-defining Memories in Patients With a TBI N/A
Completed NCT00183170 - Residual Effects of Intoxication on Student Performance Phase 2
Completed NCT00586638 - Training Cognitive Control Processes in Older Adults N/A
Recruiting NCT05657860 - Guanfacine Extended Release for the Reduction of Aggression and Self-injurious Behavior Associated With Prader-Willi Syndrome Phase 4
Recruiting NCT04289142 - Cognitive Outcomes After Dexmedetomidine Sedation in Cardiac Surgery Patients Phase 4
Completed NCT01150071 - Growth, Health and Development in Children Born Extremely Preterm N/A