The Brain, the Bug, and the Binge: the Interplay Between Binge Drinking, Gut Microbiota, and Brain Functioning
The Brain, the Bug, and the Binge: a Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Interplay Between Binge Drinking, Gut Microbiota and Brain Functioning
University of Minho
82 participants
Feb 24, 2023
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
Adolescence and youth are periods of significant maturational changes which seems to involve greater susceptibility to disruptive events in the brain such as binge drinking (BD). This prevalent pattern of consumption -characterized by repeated alcohol intoxications- is of special concern, as it has been associated with major neurocognitive impairments in the young brain. Recent studies indicate that alcohol may disrupt the gut microbiota (GM) and that these disruptions may lead to impairments in brain and behavior. Also, interventions with psychobiotics have been shown to result in reductions in alcohol-induced damage and in improvements on cognitive and brain functioning. Thus, the present proposal will explore the effects of BD on GM. Additionally, a GM intervention with psychobiotics both in-vivo and in-vitro, will determine whether improvements in GM composition/function may lead to reductions of alcohol-induced brain damage in BD-population, a barely unexplored research field with major clinical applications.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria4
- College students whose native language is Portuguese;
- Age 18-23 years;
- Binge Drinkers: report (i) drinking 4 (for women)/5 (for men) or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month, (ii) drinking at a speed of at least two drinks per hour during these episodes (which brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 g/dL or above), and (iii) having an AUDIT score < 20.
- Non/Low-Drinkers: report (i) never drinking 4/5 or more drinks on one occasion and (ii) having an AUDIT score ≤ 4.
Exclusion Criteria11
- Use of illicit drugs as determined by the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT);
- Alcohol abuse (i.e., AUDIT ≥ 20);
- Personal history of psychopathological disorders (according to DSM-V criteria);
- History of traumatic brain injury or neurological disorder;
- Family history (mother/father) of alcoholism diagnosis of substance abuse;
- Occurrence of one or more episodes of loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes;
- Non-corrected sensory deficits;
- Diagnosis of any gut disease/problems or other medical conditions: inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's Disease, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, autoimmune disease;
- Consumption of medical drugs with psychoactive effects (e.g., antidepressants, anxiolytics or benzodiazepines) during the 4 weeks prior to the experiment;
- Use of any of the following drugs in the last 4 weeks: laxatives, antibiotics, anticoagulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, corticosteroids;
- No type of metal object implanted in the body, especially in the head (orthodontic appliances are not excluded).
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Interventions
For 6 weeks, 23 binge drinkers will be given a daily dose (divided into three times a day) of 15g of a dietary fiber with benefits for intestinal bacteria (inulin).
For 6 weeks, 23 binge drinkers will be given a daily dose (divided into three times a day) of 15g of dietary fiber with no specific benefits for the intestinal microbiome (maltodextrin).
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT05946083