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

1. A method of reducing cortisol secretion in a subject suffering from depression, the method comprising administering to the subject suffering from depression an effective amount of 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, wherein the effective amount of the galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 4 to 12 hours apart, and wherein the effective amount of the composition comprises 2.7 to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 to 5.5 g of the composition or comprises 2.7 g to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 4.1 g to 7.25 g of the composition.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered orally.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of the galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 6 to 10 hours apart, or from 8 hours apart.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a powder, a tablet, a capsule, or a liquid.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the liquid is a syrup formulation.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the liquid is a dried syrup forming a soft pastille.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method increases brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in dentate gyrus of the subject suffering from depression.

9. A method of increasing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in dentate gyrus of a subject suffering from depression, the method comprising administering to the subject suffering from depression an effective amount of 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, wherein the effective amount of the galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 4 to 12 hours apart, and wherein the effective amount of the composition comprises 2.7 to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 3.0 to 5.5 g of the composition or comprises 2.7 g to 2.75 g of galactooligosaccharides in 4.1 g to 7.25 g of the composition.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the subject is a human.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the composition is administered orally.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the effective amount of the galactooligosaccharide composition is administered daily as two separate doses administered from 6 to 10 hours apart, or from 8 hours apart.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the composition is in the form of a powder, a tablet, a capsule, or a liquid.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the liquid is a syrup formulation.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the liquid is a dried syrup forming a soft pastille.