The synergistic impact of probiotics and dietary fiber on constipation management in chlorpromazine-induced schizophrenia patients: exploring the modulation of intestinal microbiota and neurotrophic factors.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the improvement effect of probiotics combined with dietary fiber on constipation in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: To compare the improvement scores of constipation, constipation symptoms, quality of life, neurotrophic factors-related indicators, and clinical efficacy between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in Cleveland Constipation Scoring System (CCS) scores in the control group before and after treatment (p > 0.05), while the CCS scores in the observation group decreased significantly after treatment (p < 0.05); Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms scores significantly decreased in the observation group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), with no significant difference in Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life scores between the two groups pre- and post-treatment; Neuron-specific enolase levels decreased significantly in both groups post-treatment, while brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neuregulin-1, and nerve growth factor levels increased significantly, with a more pronounced rise in the observation group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the total effective rate of clinical treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Probiotics combined with dietary fiber can improve constipation symptoms in patients with schizophrenia accompanied by constipation, effectively maintain the balance of intestinal microbiota, and improve the quality of life of patients. Additionally, levels of neurotrophic factors associated with bowel function and neurological health increased significantly, with a higher total effective rate of clinical treatment observed in the probiotics and dietary fiber group. These findings suggest the potential efficacy of probiotics and dietary fiber in managing constipation in this patient population.

Effects of Treatment with Probiotics on Cognitive Function and Regulatory Role of Cortisol and IL-1ß in Adolescent Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics on cognitive function and the regulation of cortisol and IL-1ß in adolescents with depression. All 180 participants were randomly assigned to a study group (treated with probiotics combined with sertraline hydrochloride) and a control group (treated with sertraline hydrochloride). The repetitive Neuropsychological State Test (RBANS) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were administered to MDD patients. The levels of serum cortisol and IL-1ß were detected using an ELISA kit. Except for speech function, factors including immediate memory, visual span, attention function, delayed memory, and the RBANS in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The levels of cortisol and interleukin-1ß in the study group were significantly downregulated compared to those in the control group. Except for speech function, the cortisol level was negatively correlated with the RBANS total score and other factors in the study group. Interleukin-1ß was also negatively correlated with the RBANS total score and each factor score. Cortisol and interleukin-1ß were predictors of the RBANS total score, which explained 46.80% of the variance. Cortisol had significant predictive effects on attention function and delayed memory, and interleukin-1ß had significant predictive effects on visual span and speech function. It could be concluded that probiotics could improve cognitive function in adolescents with depression by regulating cortisol and IL-1ß levels.