Clinical Study 1 1714-Serenitas
The 1714-Serenitas® culture
A unique B. longum probiotic strain of human origin, developed in partnership with scientists and clinicians from one of the world’s leading centres of research on the gut-brain axis.
Bifidobacterium strains have been linked to positive effects on depression and anxiety but effects are strain-specific. Preclinical tests with the 1714-Serenitas® strain were confirmed in two ground-breaking clinical trials, which showed reduction of stress responses and improved cognitive function in healthy volunteers as well as direct evidence of a positive influence on brain activity. The genome of the 1714-Serenitas® culture has been fully sequenced and annotated.
Professor Paul Enck
Professor Paul Enck and his team at the University of Tübingen in Germany have recently published the findings of a new clinical study, investigating the affect of 1714® culture on brain function and social stress, in the Americal Journal of Gastroenterology.
Clinical Study 1: 1714-Serenitas®
Improves Stress-Coping and Vitality (Wang et al. 2019)
Study Design
Figure 1. Magnetoencephalography
OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of 1714-Serenitas® on brain function after social stress.
METHOD: In this study, 40 healthy people took either 1714-Serenitas® (1 x 10⁹ CFU) or a placebo every day for 4 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial. The volunteers were exposed to a standardised social stress test (CBG) before and after the four week intervention period. In addition, before and after intervention, the subjects’ brain activity was measured during the game using a highly sensitive technique, magnetoencephalography (MEG; Fig 2). The subjects’ perception of their stress and health status were also assessed using standardised questionnaires.
Fig 2). The subjects’ perception of their stress and health status were also assessed using standardised questionnaires.
Results
Analysis of brain images showed clearly that 1714-Serenitas® stimulated changes in regions of the brain associated with coping with stress and its regulation. This was not observed in the placebo group. Prior to the stress test, intervention with 1714-Serenitas® altered brain activity associated with increased vitality and reduced mental fatigue (Fig 3). This demonstrated that the probiotic improved the subjects’ ability to cope with stressful situations, and helped to prevent negative emotions. During the stress test, the 1714-Serenitas™ strain changed the central processing of stress stimuli.
Figure 1.
Example of magnetoencephalography images during the trial: cross sections of the brain from the top of the head (top right) to the neck.
Figure 2.
A) Orange parts show significantly increased brain wave activity in the 1714-Serenitas® group (compared to placebo, p<0.05), associated with reduced feelings of mental fatigue.
B) Blue parts show significantly decreased brain wave activity in the 1714-Serenitas® group (compared to placebo, p<0.05), associated with increased alertness and decreased anxiety and stress.
Conclusion
1714-Serenitas® intervention directly affected the brain function of healthy volunteers:
- proving their ability to process stress
- Making it easier for them to cope with stress
- moderating their brain processes linked to negative emotions
- Indicating enhanced vitality and reduced mental fatigue