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Clinical Trials/NCT06221852
NCT06221852
Recruiting
Not Applicable

A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Ketogenic and Nutritional Interventions for Brain Energy Metabolism and Psychiatric Symptoms in First Episode Bipolar Disorder.

Mclean Hospital1 site in 1 country50 target enrollmentMarch 12, 2024

Overview

Phase
Not Applicable
Intervention
Not specified
Conditions
Bipolar I Disorder
Sponsor
Mclean Hospital
Enrollment
50
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
Change in brain redox nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide metabolites ratio (NAD+/NADH)
Status
Recruiting
Last Updated
5 months ago

Overview

Brief Summary

This is a randomized, controlled clinical trial to assess the effects of the ketogenic diet in combination with treatment as usual on brain energy metabolism and psychiatric symptoms in individuals with first episode bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.

Detailed Description

Several lines of evidence show energy metabolism and redox dysregulation in bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders. Ketogenic interventions targeting energy metabolism are promising therapeutic approaches to improve mood and psychosis in bipolar disorder and other psychotic disorders. Early intervention is also critical to helping people achieve their goals for recovery after a first episode. Investigators aim to use multimodal imaging and metabolic measures to study the effects of a ketogenic diet intervention on energy metabolism and psychiatric symptoms in individuals with first episode bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. This 12-week randomized controlled trial will assess the benefits of a ketogenic diet in combination with treatment as usual compared to a standard diet. Investigators will measure the effects of nutritional ketosis on brain redox and energy metabolism and other neurometabolic markers using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, investigators will measure the effects of the ketogenic diet on mood and psychotic symptoms and metabolic measures such as insulin resistance.

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
March 12, 2024
End Date
December 30, 2027
Last Updated
5 months ago
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
All

Investigators

Responsible Party
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Virginie-Anne Chouinard, MD

Psychiatrist

Mclean Hospital

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Between the ages of 18 and
  • Ability to adhere to study diets.
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) diagnosis of bipolar I disorder or schizoaffective disorder with onset of illness in the last 7 years.
  • Must have a stable psychiatric disorder with no change in psychiatric medications within the past 2 weeks of screening
  • Must not be expected to require addition of any new psychiatric medications during the 12-week duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Unable to sign informed consent
  • Contraindication to magnetic resonance (MR) scan (including claustrophobia)
  • Unstable medical illness (including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurological, or hematological disease)
  • Current DSM-5 substance use disorder
  • Currently pregnant, nursing, or of childbearing potential and not using a medically accepted means of contraception
  • Have a body weight of over 350 lbs or a body mass index (BMI) \<20
  • Score above 15 on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)
  • History of significant head injury
  • Current cancer diagnosis
  • Current diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in brain redox nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide metabolites ratio (NAD+/NADH)

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in NAD+/NADH as measured by in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS).

Change in brain creatine kinase forward reaction rate (kf)

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in creatine kinase forward reaction rate (kf) as measured by 31P magnetization transfer (MT) MRS.

Change in insulin resistance

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 of insulin resistance measured using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) using fasting blood glucose and insulin levels.

Change in psychotic symptoms

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score. Scores range from 30-210; a higher score indicates a higher level of psychotic symptoms.

Change in depressive symptoms

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) total score. Scores range from 0-52; a higher score indicates a higher level of depression.

Change in mania symptoms

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) total score. Scores range from 0-60. A higher score indicates a more severe illness.

Change in Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale

Time Frame: 12 weeks

Change from baseline to week 12 in Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale. Scores range from 1-7; a higher score indicates higher severity of illness.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Change in glycated hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A1c) level(12 weeks)
  • Change in body weight(12 weeks)
  • Change in triglyceride levels(12 weeks)
  • Change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration(12 weeks)
  • Change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels(12 weeks)
  • Change in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain glutamate metabolite concentration(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain glutathione (GSH)(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain Phosphocreatine (PCr)(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain pH(12 weeks)
  • Change in adverse events(12 weeks)
  • Change in anxiety symptoms(12 weeks)
  • Change in cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA)(12 weeks)
  • Change in growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15)(12 weeks)
  • Change in blood NAD/NADH+ ratio(12 weeks)
  • Change in brain inorganic phosphate concentration(12 weeks)
  • Change in stress symptoms(12 weeks)
  • Change in Global Functioning Scale (GFS) - Social and Role total score(12 weeks)
  • Change in cognitive performance(12 weeks)
  • Change in blood GSH/GSSH ratio(12 weeks)

Study Sites (1)

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