Probiotics to Prevent Relapse After Hospitalization for Mania
Bipolar Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Bipolar Disorder focused on measuring mania, manic episode, mixed episode, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, probiotics, probiotic supplement, relapse prevention, new mood episode, re-hospitalization
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18-65
- Capacity for written informed consent
- Currently admitted to a Sheppard Pratt inpatient or day hospital for symptoms of mania
- Primary Axis I diagnosis (DSM-IV) at time of admission of Bipolar I Disorder (single manic episode, most recent episode manic, or most recent episode mixed) OR Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar type (manic or mixed state)
- Proficient in the English language
- Available to come to Sheppard Pratt Towson for follow-up visits
- Participated previously in one of our screening studies
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of mental retardation
- Symptoms of mania secondary to a general medical condition
- Any clinically significant or unstable medical disorder as determined by the investigators including congestive heart failure, abnormal liver function or disease, renal failure, acute pancreatitis, any diagnosis of cancer undergoing active treatment, HIV infection or other immunodeficiency condition
- History of IV drug use
- Primary diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence according to DSM-IV criteria within the last 3 months, or has a positive drug toxicity screen
- Participated in any investigational drug trial in the past 30 days
- Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study period
- Receipt of antibiotic medication within the previous 24 hours (as anaerobic organisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract may be minimally affected by antibiotics)
- Documented celiac disease (as such persons should be on a gluten-free diet as this is the standard care). Of note, we are not limiting the study to individuals with elevated levels of gliadin or casein antibodies as we intend to look at these levels as a predictor of response.
Sites / Locations
- Sheppard Pratt Health System
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
Probiotic Supplement
Inert Compound
The probiotic supplement compound will consist of capsules containing approximately 10^8 colony forming units of the probiotic organisms, LactobacillusGG and Bifidobacteria lactis strain Bb12. The capsule, which will be swallowed, is a size 3 opaque, hard, hypromellose capsule. The participant will be asked to take 1 capsule of the probiotic supplement with a meal or with a snack daily for 24 weeks.
The inert compound placebo looks identical to the probiotic supplement, and participants will be instructed to swallow 1 capsule with a meal or with a snack daily for 24 weeks.