Probiotic Supplementation and Executive Function in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Probiotic supplementation significantly improved executive function scores in children with ADHD compared to placebo after 2 months of treatment.

• Post-intervention BRIEF scores were 151.50 ± 16.784 in the probiotic group versus 190.68 ± 23.479 in the control group (F = 7.93, p < 0.001).
• Analysis used repeated measures ANOVA after adjusting for confounders including age, BMI, and IQ.
• The probiotic supplement contained Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, and Bifidobacterium Longum, administered once daily for 2 months.
• The study was a triple-blind, randomized controlled trial with 84 children with ADHD.

Baseline executive function scores did not differ significantly between the probiotic and placebo groups.

• Baseline BRIEF scores were 191.45 ± 20.725 in the intervention group versus 190.55 ± 23.520 in the control group (p = 0.214).
• This confirmed successful randomization and comparability of groups at study entry.

The study employed a triple-blind randomized controlled trial design to examine probiotic effects on executive function in children with ADHD.

• 84 children with ADHD were randomly allocated to probiotic or placebo groups.
• Executive function was assessed using the parent form of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire.
• The intervention duration was 2 months with once-daily administration.
• The trial was registered under IRCT: IRCT20210531051454N2.

The authors concluded that further studies with extended follow-up durations and objective neuropsychological evaluations are warranted.

• The current study relied on the parent-report form of the BRIEF questionnaire rather than objective neuropsychological measures.
• The follow-up period was limited to 2 months, leaving longer-term effects unknown.
• The authors noted probiotics 'may be beneficial as non-pharmacological adjunctive therapy for enhancing executive function in children with ADHD.'