Gut-brain Health in Huntington's Disease

The gut is getting a lot of attention by scientists and doctors. Surprisingly, it’s now known that the gut and brain interact extensively. The gut is known to affect mood, thinking abilities, and overall quality of life. How the gut affects mood and cognition in Huntingtin’s disease is not known yet.

How am I investigating gut health in HD?

In my research, I am measuring bacteria inside the gut, and then testing probiotics as a treatment to improve thinking abilities, mood and quality of life in HD.

What will we learn from this research?

This will be the first clinical study to investigate the gut in Huntington’s disease. By understanding its role in HD, we hope to find out whether the gut could be a potential target for treatment.

Who is eligible?

• Men and women, 18 - 65 years old.
• People with a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease.
• People without a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease.
• No diagnosis of Coeliac’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, or Crohn’s disease
• No allergies to yeast.
• Must not have taken oral antibiotics in the past 2 months.
• No history of neurological injury (e.g. traumatic brain injury, stroke).

What will you need to do?

• Fill in a short screening form to make sure you are eligible for the study.
• Take either probiotic or placebo tablets for 6 weeks.
• Come in to Monash University Clayton for two 1.5 hour sessions to fill in some questionnaires, and complete some computerised tasks
• Provide two stool samples (equipment provided; so we can measure your gut levels).

Where will you need to go?

You will need to meet with me face-to-face for two 1.5-hour testing sessions at Monash University Clayton Campus. You will be reimbursed for your time for both sessions.

Ethics Approval: Monash University Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC) 8031