Can a dead probiotic revive aging brains?

NCT ID NCT07794956

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 31, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at the University of South Florida are testing whether a heat-inactivated postbiotic called LpD3.5 can reduce gut inflammation and improve thinking in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The study will give 15 participants aged 60 and older either LpD3.5 or a placebo capsule for 60 days, then track changes in gut permeability, inflammation, and cognitive function. The goal is to see if this dietary supplement could become a simple, non-drug way to support brain health as we age.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
LpD3.5, a heat-inactivated postbiotic derived from Lactobacillus paracasei
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a simple daily supplement to support gut health and slow cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small trial with only 15 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The supplement may not meaningfully change gut permeability or cognition, and any benefit could be modest.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 15 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Mar 2026

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

60 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Age 60 years and above; (ii) physician based clinically diagnosed MCI and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between 18 and 25; iii) LBP ≥ 30 μg/mL in plasma, and (iv) willing to sign informed consent, take intervention regimen, follow study team guidelines and donate sam-ples, as instructed by the study team; and (iv) live with a partner or care giver Study partners in this study must meet the following inclusion criteria: * Be 60 years or older * Willingness to participate in the study and provide consent * Ability to have regular contact with the participant(s) * Be knowledgeable about the participant's health, memory, and daily activities * Communicate effectively in English Exclusion Criteria: Brain and gut related surgery within the past 5 years that affected cognitive function: This information will be collected during the initial telephonic screening through an eligibility checklist. (ii) diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Clostridium difficile infection, or any other gastrointestinal disease that might significantly change the microbiome, gut permeability, and inflammation: Participants will be asked about these diagnoses during the telephonic screening, and responses will be documented : Participants will be asked about these diagnoses during the telephonic screening, and responses will be documented. (iii) history of fecal microbiota transplantation and small intestinal bacterial growth: These conditions will also be screened via the initial eligibility questionnaire ad-ministered during the pre-screening phone interview. (iv) history of cancer or cancer treatment in past 5 years: Participants will be asked to report any history of cancer or treatment during the tele-phonic screening (v) nausea, vomiting, food poisoning, constipation, or diarrhea and/or antibiotic use in the past 30 days; These symptoms will be captured via a brief symptom checklist completed at the time of recruitment as well as on-site at the initial study visit. (vi) heavy consumption of pro-biotics, yogurt, or other fermented food (\>4 servings per day): Questionnaire on probiotic yogurt, or other fermented food will be administered during the initial screening by telephonic talk as well as on-site visit to capture this information.(vii) critical or terminal illnesses; (viii) having neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: These conditions will be assessed via direct questioning during the telephonic pre-screening interview (ix) pregnant or prisoner: Pregnancy status will be determined via verbal confirmation during screening and documented in the eligibility checklist. (x) unable to eat the test product according to the regulations; (xi) participating in other clinical trial; (xii) any diagnosis or condition that renders the subject ineligible at the discretion of the PI and/or the study team.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Cognitive Dysfunction Inflammation

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Department of Neurosurgery and Brain and Spine and Faculty of USF Center for Microbiome Re-search, Microbiomes Institute

    RECRUITING

    Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States

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