Galactooligosaccharide composition for use in preventing or treating cognitive dysfunction and emotional disturbances in neuropsychiatry illnesses or ageing

Abstract

A galactooligosaccharide composition comprising a mixture of disaccharides, trisaccharides, a tetrasaccharide and a pentasaccharide for use in preventing or treating cognitive dysfunction and/or emotional disturbances in neuropsychiatric illnesses or ageing.

1 . A method of preventing or treating emotional disturbances in depressive disorders in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject suffering from depression a galactooligosaccharide composition comprising disaccharides Gal (β1-3)-Glc; Gal (β1-3)-Gal; Gal (β1-6)-Gal; Gal (α1-6)-Gal; trisaccharides Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc; Gal (β1-3)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc; tetrasaccharide Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc and pentasaccharide Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the subject is human. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered orally. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a powder, a tablet, a capsule, a liquid formulation such as a syrup or a soft pastille. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein when the composition is in powder form it comprises from 1.35 to 9.6 g of galactooligosaccharides in 1.65 g to 20 g of the powdered composition, preferably from 1.96 g to 4.9 g of galactooligosaccharides in 2.5 g to 10 g of the powder, most preferably 2.7 g to 2.75 g galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 g to 5.5 g of the powder. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein when the composition is in syrup form it comprises from 1.35 g to 9.6 g of galactooligosaccharides in 2.1 g to 25.29 g of the syrup composition, preferably from 1.96 g to 4.9 g of galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 g to 12.9 g of the syrup, most preferably 2.7 g to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 4.1 g to 7.25 g of the syrup. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 6 to 10 hours apart, or from 8 hours apart. 
     
     
         8 . A method of preventing or treating emotional disturbances in anxiety disorders in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject suffering from anxiety a galactooligosaccharide composition comprising disaccharides Gal (β1-3)-Glc; Gal (β1-3)-Gal; Gal (β1-6)-Gal; Gal (α1-6)-Gal; trisaccharides Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc; Gal (β1-3)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc; tetrasaccharide Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc and pentasaccharide Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-6)-Gal (β1-4)-Glc. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the subject is human. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the composition is administered orally. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the composition is in the form of a powder, a tablet, a capsule, a liquid formulation such as a syrup or a soft pastille. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein when the composition is in powder form it comprises from 1.35 to 9.6 g of galactooligosaccharides in 1.65 g to 20 g of the powdered composition, preferably from 1.96 g to 4.9 g of galactooligosaccharides in 2.5 g to 10 g of the powder, most preferably 2.7 g to 2.75 g galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 g to 5.5 g of the powder. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein when the composition is in syrup form it comprises from 1.35 g to 9.6 g of galactooligosaccharides in 2.1 g to 25.29 g of the syrup composition, preferably from 1.96 g to 4.9 g of galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 g to 12.9 g of the syrup, most preferably 2.7 g to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 4.1 g to 7.25 g of the syrup. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the effective amount of galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 6 to 10 hours apart, or from 8 hours apart.