A Clinical Trial Evaluating Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) in Adolescents With ADHD
FMT-ADHD-2026
Feasibility, Safety and Tolerability of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in an Adolescent Population With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
1 other identifier
interventional
64
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The primary goals of this phase 2 clinical trial are to determine the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of oral Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) in adolescents (aged 13-17) with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for phase_2
Started Aug 2026
Typical duration for phase_2
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 31, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
August 10, 2026
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
August 31, 2026
ExpectedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
August 31, 2028
Study Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
August 31, 2029
August 10, 2026
July 1, 2026
2 years
July 31, 2026
August 5, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (9)
Feasibility: Number of Participants Enrolled
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: Successful enrollment of at least 45 participants across the four trial arms
0-24 Weeks
Feasibility: Number of Participants Completing Study Protocol
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: A minimum of 45 participants to complete study until the 24-week primary endpoint
0-24 weeks
Feasibility: Number of Prescribed Capsule Doses Successfully Ingested
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by adherence to study protocols: Receive at least 10/20 capsules per dosing visit
0-24 weeks
Feasibility: Number of Participants Completing Required Study Visits
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by the adherence to study protocols: Attend all visits - attend the baseline visit (Visit 2- V2) and at least 2 follow up visits (V4-10).
0-24 weeks
Feasibility: Number of Participants Providing Required Biological Samples
Feasibility of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by the adherence to study protocols: Provide biological samples at baseline visit (V2) and at least 2 follow up visits (V4-10)
0-24 Weeks
Safety: Number of Participants With Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events
Safety of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: Evaluating solicited and unsolicited adverse events, including serious adverse events
0-24 weeks
Safety: Change From Baseline in Suicidality Score on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
Safety of FMT in an Adolescent Population With ADHD will be determined by: Monitoring suicidality using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). The suicidal ideation subscale ranges from 0 (no ideation) to 5 (active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent), and the suicidal behavior subscale ranges from 0 (no behavior) to 5 (completed suicide). Higher scores indicate greater severity of suicidality.
0-24 weeks
Tolerability: Change From Baseline in Pittsburgh Side Effects Rating Scale (PSERS) Total Score
Tolerability of FMT in Adolescents With ADHD will be determined by: Evaluating stimulant side effects using the Pittsburgh Side Effects Rating Scale (PSERS). Total scores range from 0 to 45 (or average score per item ranging from 0 to 3 across 15 symptoms: 0 = absent, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe). Higher scores indicate greater severity of side effects.
0-24 weeks
Tolerability: Change From Baseline in Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) Total Score
Tolerability of FMT in Adolescents With ADHD will be determined by: Evaluating gastrointestinal symptoms following colonic preparation and capsule dosing using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). The GSRS is a 15-item questionnaire assessing GI symptoms across 5 domains (abdominal pain, reflux, indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation). Individual items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (no discomfort) to 7 (very severe discomfort), with total scores ranging from 15 to 105. Higher scores indicate greater GI symptom severity.
0-24 weeks
Secondary Outcomes (5)
Stool Samples - Microbiome Composition - Metagenomics: Change From Baseline in Gut Microbiome Alpha Diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) and Beta Diversity (Bray-Curtis Dissimilarity) via Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing
0-24 weeks
Stool Samples - Microbiome Functional Activity - Metabolomics: Change From Baseline in Fecal Metabolite Concentrations Measured via Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) Spectroscopy
0-24 weeks
Saliva Samples - Oral Microbiome Composition - Metagenomics: Change From Baseline in Oral Microbiome Alpha Diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) and Beta Diversity (Bray-Curtis Dissimilarity) via Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing
0-24 weeks
Saliva Samples - Oral Microbiome Composition - Metabolomic Analysis: Change From Baseline in Salivary Metabolite Concentrations Measured via Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) Spectroscopy
0-24 weeks
Blood Samples - Serum Inflammatory Cytokines: Change From Baseline in Serum Cytokine Concentrations
0-24 weeks
Other Outcomes (3)
ADHD Symptomology: Change From Baseline in the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Parent Rating Scale IV (SNAP-IV 26) Total Score
0-24 weeks
Functional Impairment: Change From Baseline in the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale Self-Report (WFIRS-S) and Parent-Report (WFIRS-P) Total Score
0-24 weeks
Anxiety and Depression: Change From Baseline in the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale Self-Report (RCADS) and Parent Version (RCADS-P) Total Score
0-24 weeks
Study Arms (4)
Arm 1: Antibiotic, bowel preparation, and FMT receiving
EXPERIMENTALParticipants receive a 6-day course of antibiotics (nitazoxanide 500 mg BID and vancomycin 250 mg BID), followed by bowel preparation the night prior to fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and FMT oral capsules (20 capsules daily for 3 consecutive days).
Arm 2: Antibiotic, bowel preparation, and placebo FMT receiving
EXPERIMENTALParticipants receive a 6-day course of antibiotic pretreatment (nitazoxanide 500 mg BID and vancomycin 250 mg BID), followed by bowel preparation the night prior to transplantation, and placebo FMT capsules (20 capsules daily for 3 consecutive days).
Arm 3: Placebo antibiotics, bowel preparation, and FMT receiving
EXPERIMENTALParticipants receive a 6-day course of placebo antibiotic pretreatment (matching nitazoxanide and vancomycin BID), followed by bowel preparation the night prior to transplantation, and oral fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) capsules (20 capsules daily for 3 consecutive days).
Arm 4: Placebo antibiotic, bowel preparation, and placebo FMT receiving
PLACEBO COMPARATORParticipants receive a 6-day course of placebo antibiotic pretreatment (matching nitazoxanide and vancomycin BID), followed by bowel preparation the night prior to transplantation, and placebo FMT capsules (20 capsules daily for 3 consecutive days).
Interventions
Participants will receive oral combination therapy consisting of Nitazoxanide (500 mg administered in capsule form) taken twice daily for 6 consecutive days, administered concurrently with oral liquid Vancomycin (250 mg) twice daily for 6 days prior to dosing.
Participants will receive oral liquid Vancomycin at a dose of 250 mg, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days. This will be taken concurrently with oral Nitazoxanide capsules (500 mg) as part of FMT pre-treatment. Placebo antibiotic receiving participants will receive a matching oral liquid vehicle placebo on the identical twice-daily, 6-day schedule.
Participants will receive a matching oral liquid vehicle placebo, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days.
Participants will receive matching oral placebo capsules, administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days.
Participants will undergo bowel cleansing prior to the intervention. On the evening before the first day of dosing participants will consume 1.5 sachets of Pico-Salax mixed in water, followed by eight 250 mL glasses of water over the subsequent 60 minutes to induce a bowel purge over an expected 6- to 8-hour period.
Participants will receive active oral FMT capsules, administered over three consecutive visits with each dose spaced 24 hours apart (20 capsules per visit at Visits 3A, 3B, and 3C). This will be administered following bowel preparation to serve as the primary therapeutic intervention for the active FMT regimen.
Participants will receive matching oral placebo capsules, administered over three consecutive visits with each dose spaced 24 hours apart (20 capsules per visit at Visits 3A, 3B, and 3C). This will be administered following bowel preparation to serve as the control comparator for the active FMT regimen.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Between 13-17 years of age with consent of a legal guardian: Participants should be at least 13 years old and not older than 17 years at the day of screening (V1).
- Have a primary diagnosis of ADHD as confirmed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID).
- Be on a stable appropriate dose of an appropriate first-line pharmacological treatment for at least 8 weeks prior to the day of screening (V1).
- a. First line pharmacotherapy treatment will be defined based on the CADDRA guidelines \[63\] and include the following
- Amphetamine-based psychostimulants:
- i. Mixed amphetamine salts (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) ii. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate
- Methylphenidate-based psychostimulants:
- i. Methylphenidate hydrochloride, Methylphenidate hydrochloride (extended release, multilayer release capsules) ii. Methylphenidate hydrochloride (extended release, OROS tablets) iii. Methylphenidate hydrochloride (controlled release, multi-layer beat capsules) iv. Methylphenidate hydrochloride (extended-release oral suspension)
- Have a score of ≥ 18 on the inattention subset (questions 1-9) and/or the hyperactivity/impulsivity subset (questions 10-18) of the SNAP-IV 26-Item Parent Rating Scale on the day of screening (V1) and the baseline visit (V2).
- Able to communicate and complete study assessments in English.
- Able to comply with all protocol procedures.
- Consenting guardian
You may not qualify if:
- Participant meets Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) Criteria for the following conditions according to the MINI-KID:
- Diagnosis of a Substance Use Disorder within the last 3 months prior to screening. \*(Criteria should include Alcohol and Non-Alcohol substances except Cannabis)
- Moderate or severe Substance Use Disorder for Cannabis use in the last 3 months
- Currently active high suicidality. Eligibility of Participants who meet criteria for moderate suicidality is determined by clinical judgment of Principal Investigator.
- Active Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa in the last 3 months.
- Tic Disorders
- Psychosis
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Conduct Disorder
- Participant has a score of ≥ 8 on the oppositional defiant subset of the SNAP-IV 26-Item Parent Rating Scale (questions 19-26) on the day of screening (V1).
- Intellectual or learning disability based on previous documented diagnosis or clinical judgment of Principal Investigator.
- Documented diagnosis of Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) or Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS).
- Documented diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
- Documented diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or currently undergoing assessment for suspected ASD.
- +17 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- University of Calgarylead
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgarycollaborator
- Alberta Children's Hospitalcollaborator
Study Sites (1)
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, T2M 1R5, Canada
Related Publications (19)
Nanda A, Janga LSN, Sambe HG, Yasir M, Man RK, Gogikar A, Mohammed L. Adverse Effects of Stimulant Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Comprehensive Systematic Review. Cureus. 2023 Sep 26;15(9):e45995. doi: 10.7759/cureus.45995. eCollection 2023 Sep.
PMID: 37900465BACKGROUNDAnand N, Gorantla VR, Chidambaram SB. The Role of Gut Dysbiosis in the Pathophysiology of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cells. 2022 Dec 23;12(1):54. doi: 10.3390/cells12010054.
PMID: 36611848BACKGROUNDPrehn-Kristensen A, Zimmermann A, Tittmann L, Lieb W, Schreiber S, Baving L, Fischer A. Reduced microbiome alpha diversity in young patients with ADHD. PLoS One. 2018 Jul 12;13(7):e0200728. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200728. eCollection 2018.
PMID: 30001426BACKGROUNDSteckler R, Magzal F, Kokot M, Walkowiak J, Tamir S. Disrupted gut harmony in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Dysbiosis and decreased short-chain fatty acids. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Jul 27;40:100829. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100829. eCollection 2024 Oct.
PMID: 39184374BACKGROUNDYang LL, Stiernborg M, Skott E, Xu J, Wu Y, Landberg R, Arefin S, Kublickiene K, Millischer V, Nilsson IAK, Schalling M, Giacobini M, Lavebratt C. Effects of a Synbiotic on Plasma Immune Activity Markers and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Children and Adults with ADHD-A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 6;15(5):1293. doi: 10.3390/nu15051293.
PMID: 36904292BACKGROUNDYang LL, Stiernborg M, Skott E, Gillberg T, Landberg R, Giacobini M, Lavebratt C. Lower plasma concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in patients with ADHD. J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Dec;156:36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.09.042. Epub 2022 Sep 28.
PMID: 36228390BACKGROUNDMa L, Chen YH, Chen H, Liu YY, Wang YX. The function of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in children with ADHD. Brain Res. 2011 Jan 12;1368:159-62. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.10.045. Epub 2010 Nov 12.
PMID: 20971091BACKGROUNDCetin FH, Ucaryilmaz H, Ucar HN, Artac H, Guler HA, Duran SA, Kilinc K, Turkoglu S. Regulatory T cells in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A case-control study. J Neuroimmunol. 2022 Jun 15;367:577848. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2022.577848. Epub 2022 Mar 21.
PMID: 35358939BACKGROUNDOzyurt G, Ozturk Y, Appak YC, Arslan FD, Baran M, Karakoyun I, Tufan AE, Pekcanlar AA. Increased zonulin is associated with hyperactivity and social dysfunctions in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Compr Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;87:138-142. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.10.006. Epub 2018 Oct 29.
PMID: 30414552BACKGROUNDLee SY, Li SC, Yang CY, Kuo HC, Chou WJ, Wang LJ. Gut Leakage Markers and Cognitive Functions in Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Children (Basel). 2023 Mar 5;10(3):513. doi: 10.3390/children10030513.
PMID: 36980071BACKGROUNDAarts E, Ederveen THA, Naaijen J, Zwiers MP, Boekhorst J, Timmerman HM, Smeekens SP, Netea MG, Buitelaar JK, Franke B, van Hijum SAFT, Arias Vasquez A. Gut microbiome in ADHD and its relation to neural reward anticipation. PLoS One. 2017 Sep 1;12(9):e0183509. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183509. eCollection 2017.
PMID: 28863139BACKGROUNDBravo JA, Forsythe P, Chew MV, Escaravage E, Savignac HM, Dinan TG, Bienenstock J, Cryan JF. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Sep 20;108(38):16050-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1102999108. Epub 2011 Aug 29.
PMID: 21876150BACKGROUNDKang DW, Adams JB, Gregory AC, Borody T, Chittick L, Fasano A, Khoruts A, Geis E, Maldonado J, McDonough-Means S, Pollard EL, Roux S, Sadowsky MJ, Lipson KS, Sullivan MB, Caporaso JG, Krajmalnik-Brown R. Microbiota Transfer Therapy alters gut ecosystem and improves gastrointestinal and autism symptoms: an open-label study. Microbiome. 2017 Jan 23;5(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s40168-016-0225-7.
PMID: 28122648BACKGROUNDZhang Y, Zhang J, Pan Z, He X. Effects of Washed Fecal Bacteria Transplantation in Sleep Quality, Stool Features and Autism Symptomatology: A Chinese Preliminary Observational Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2022 Jun 11;18:1165-1173. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S355233. eCollection 2022.
PMID: 35719863BACKGROUNDTengeler AC, Dam SA, Wiesmann M, Naaijen J, van Bodegom M, Belzer C, Dederen PJ, Verweij V, Franke B, Kozicz T, Arias Vasquez A, Kiliaan AJ. Gut microbiota from persons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder affects the brain in mice. Microbiome. 2020 Apr 1;8(1):44. doi: 10.1186/s40168-020-00816-x.
PMID: 32238191BACKGROUNDHarigai W, Mikami K, Choudhury ME, Yamauchi H, Yajima C, Shimizu S, Miyaue N, Nagai M, Kubo M, Tanaka J, Katayama T. Effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on behavioral abnormality in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like model rats. J Pharmacol Sci. 2025 Mar;157(3):189-198. doi: 10.1016/j.jphs.2025.01.007. Epub 2025 Jan 27.
PMID: 39929593BACKGROUNDHooi SL, Dwiyanto J, Rasiti H, Toh KY, Wong RKM, Lee JWJ. A case report of improvement on ADHD symptoms after fecal microbiota transplantation with gut microbiome profiling pre- and post-procedure. Curr Med Res Opin. 2022 Nov;38(11):1977-1982. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2022.2129232. Epub 2022 Oct 7.
PMID: 36164761BACKGROUNDLi A, Costello SP, Bryant RV, Haylock-Jacobs S, Haifer C, Lee C, Yeung D, Giri P, Blunt D, Bowen JB, Ryan FJ, Yong A, Wardill HR. A study protocol for a double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial on the use of encapsulated FMT for reducing the side effects of HSCT: the HSCT-BIOME study. BMC Cancer. 2025 Apr 10;25(1):656. doi: 10.1186/s12885-025-14057-4.
PMID: 40211191BACKGROUNDStaley C, Kaiser T, Vaughn BP, Graiziger C, Hamilton MJ, Kabage AJ, Khoruts A, Sadowsky MJ. Durable Long-Term Bacterial Engraftment following Encapsulated Fecal Microbiota Transplantation To Treat Clostridium difficile Infection. mBio. 2019 Jul 23;10(4):e01586-19. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01586-19.
PMID: 31337728BACKGROUND
Related Links
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Thomas J Raedler, MD
University of Calgary
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 2
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- QUADRUPLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Masking Details
- Phase 1 (Interventional - Weeks 0-24): Double-blind phase. Participants, care providers, investigators, and outcomes assessors are fully blinded to the 1:1:1:1 allocation (active/placebo antibiotics and active/placebo FMT). Phase 2 (Observational - Optional long term follow up - Weeks 24-48+): Single blind phase. Staff and investigators are unblinded for primary analysis and safety monitoring. Participants and their study partners remain blinded through the optional long-term follow-up to minimize bias. Due to outcomes rely on self- and parent-administered questionnaires, staff unblinding is not expected to affect data integrity. Individually sealed allocation envelopes and master codes are maintained securely by the FMT capsule manufacturer - The University of Calgary Infection Prevention \& Control Research Laboratories. Only the unblinded lab technician preparing the interventions has access to these files.
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- FACTORIAL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 31, 2026
First Posted
August 10, 2026
Study Start (Estimated)
August 31, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
August 31, 2028
Study Completion (Estimated)
August 31, 2029
Last Updated
August 10, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-07