# Prebiotic Treatment in People with Schizophrenia

> **NIH NIH R61** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2021 · $167,544

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
People with schizophrenia have a broad range of cognitive impairments, which are major determinants of the
poor functional outcome observed in people with this disorder. Unfortunately, pharmacological and non-
pharmacological interventions have limited benefits for these impairments. In the absence of effective
treatments, cognitive impairments remain a critical unmet therapeutic need, and the development of novel
approaches for their treatment remains a central therapeutic challenge. Over the past 10 years, considerable
evidence has emerged to suggest that the gut microbiota has significant effects on brain development and
behavior, in part, through the regulation of immune system function. The gut microbiota affects immune system
function through the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other mechanisms. There are three
major SCFAs: butyrate, propionate, and acetate, of which, butyrate appears to have the most pronounced
effects on the immune system. Prebiotics are dietary fibers that promote the growth or activity of gut
microorganisms, which leads to enhanced well-being of the host; they have been shown to increase the activity
of multiple different bacteria species, including butyrate-producing bacteria. In light of the emerging evidence
that suggests schizophrenia is characterized by multiple abnormalities of the immune system, which lead to a
pro-inflammatory state, the proposed R61 project is designed to evaluate the hypothesis that prebiotic
administration will lead to increased production of butyrate, through increased activity of butyrate-producing
bacteria in the gut microbiota; the increase in serum butyrate levels will be associated with changes in
cognitive function, symptoms, and metabolic measures. In the R61 project, we will conduct a 10-day, double-
blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial (RCT) to determine if the prebiotic: Prebiotin (12g/day), an
oligofructose-enriched inulin (OEI), alters the hypothesized biological signature, i.e., increases serum butyrate
levels. We will use an inulin-challenge paradigm to assess the effect of OEI on serum butyrate levels. We are
requesting an administrative supplement (PA-20-272: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and
Cooperative Agreements) to provide funds to enable us to complete our participant recruitment for the current
R61 project, analyze the data and prepare our request for funding of the R33 project. We propose to use the
supplemental funds to recruit an additional 11 participants, in order to ensure that we will have 8 more
participants, who will complete the study. We would use months 7 and 8 of the proposed funding period to
complete data checking and analyses and preparation of our request for R33 funding.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10448075
- **Project number:** 3R61AT009990-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** ROBERT W BUCHANAN
- **Activity code:** R61 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $167,544
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10448075

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10448075, Prebiotic Treatment in People with Schizophrenia (3R61AT009990-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10448075. Licensed CC0.

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