Premium
Neuroprotective effects of the ketogenic diet
Author(s) -
Noh Hae Sook,
Kim Yoon Sook,
Choi Wan Sung
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01855.x
Subject(s) - kainic acid , neuroprotection , ketogenic diet , epilepsy , neuroscience , anticonvulsant , hippocampal formation , epileptogenesis , hippocampus , temporal lobe , medicine , limbic system , pharmacology , psychology , central nervous system , glutamate receptor , receptor
SummaryThe ketogenic diet (KD) is an alternative treatment for medically refractory epilepsy. Despite numerous mechanistic hypotheses advanced to explain the anticonvulsant action of the KD, few studies to date have addressed the molecular changes in brain following KD treatment. Here, we present recent experimental results based on systemic administration of kainic acid (KA) in rodents. KA typically induces acute limbic seizures and results in cellular and molecular alterations, accompanied by neuronal death mainly in limbic structures, similar to what has been observed in surgically resected temporal lobe tissue in epileptic patients. We have reported that neuronal degeneration induced by KA is ameliorated by KD treatment via diverse protective mechanisms, including inhibition of caspase‐3‐mediated apoptosis in hippocampal neurons. Neuroprotective strategies such as the KD, if implemented early, might exert an antiepileptogenic effect, and could prevent associated learning and memory deficits.