ArticleTrials2022
The effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) administration on the microbiome-gut-brain axis in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (the MiGBAN study): study protocol for a longitudinal, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Article in Trials, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Adverse event monitoring, assessment, and reporting in nutraceutical and phytoceutical trials for pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions: A systematic review.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2025Pooled it
- From gut to brain: effects of fecal microbiota transplants from humans to rats on hippocampal gene regulation - a study on anorexia nervosa.Translational psychiatry · 2026Article
- The Influence of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Probiotics on Hippocampal Inflammation and Glial Cells in a Chronic Anorexia Nervosa Rat Model.The International journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Exploring the Link Between the Gut Microbiota and Epigenetic Factors in Anorexia Nervosa.Brain and behavior · 2025Review
- Antibiotic-Induced Microbial Dysbiosis Worsened Outcomes in the Activity-Based Anorexia Model.The International journal of eating disorders · 2025Article
- Genetics of Anorexia Nervosa: Translation to Future Personalized Therapies.The Psychiatric clinics of North America · 2025Review
- Chronic starvation induces microglial cell depletion in an activity-based anorexia model.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Underneath the Gut-Brain Axis in IBD-Evidence of the Non-Obvious.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Gut-Associated Lymphatic Tissue in Food-Restricted Rats: Influence of Refeeding and Probiotic Supplementation.Microorganisms · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
20 authors at 10 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric disease that often takes a chronic course due to insufficient treatment options. Emerging evidence on the gut-brain axis offers the opportunity to find innovative treatments for patients with psychiatric disorders. The gut microbiome of patients with AN shows profound alterations that do not completely disappear after weight rehabilitation. In previous studies, the administration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) resulted in effects that might be beneficial in the treatment of AN, affecting the microbiome, body weight and executive functions. Therefore, the MiGBAN study aims to examine the effects of a nutritional supplementation with PUFA on the gut microbiome and body mass index (BMI) in patients with AN.
methodsThis is a longitudinal, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Within 2 years, 60 adolescent patients aged 12 to 19 years with AN will receive either PUFA or placebo for 6 months additional to treatment as usual. After 1 year, the long-term effect of PUFA on the gut microbiome and consecutively on BMI will be determined. Secondary outcomes include improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms, eating disorder psychopathology, and comorbidities. Additionally, the interaction of the gut microbiome with the brain (microbiome-gut-brain axis) will be studied by conducting MRI measurements to assess functional and morphological changes and neuropsychological assessments to describe cognitive functioning. Anti-inflammatory effects of PUFA in AN will be examined via serum inflammation and gut permeability markers. Our hypothesis is that PUFA administration will have positive effects on the gut microbiota and thus the treatment of AN by leading to a faster weight gain and a reduction of gastrointestinal problems and eating disorder psychopathology. DISCUSSION: Due to previously heterogeneous results, a systematic and longitudinal investigation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis in AN is essential. The current trial aims to further analyse this promising research field to identify new, effective therapeutic tools that could help improve the treatment and quality of life of patients. If this trial is successful and PUFA supplementation contributes to beneficial microbiome changes and a better treatment outcome, their administration would be a readily applicable additional component of multimodal AN treatment.
trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00017130 . Registered on 12 November 2019.
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