by A recent study conducted by researchers at UCLA has shed light on the potential mechanisms behind the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet in controlling seizures in children with epilepsy. The findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, highlight the role of the gut microbiome in conferring protection against seizures in mice.
The ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat and low carbohydrate intake, has been observed to help manage seizures in individuals with epilepsy who do not respond to typical anti-seizure medications. However, due to the diet’s strict requirements and potential side effects such as nausea, constipation, and fatigue, it is not recommended as a primary treatment option.
Lead author Gregory Lum, a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of UCLA professor Elaine Hsiao, explains that understanding how the ketogenic diet alters the function of the gut microbiome could lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches that leverage these beneficial changes while avoiding the drawbacks of the diet.
Previous research conducted by Hsiao’s lab had demonstrated that mice fed a ketogenic diet had significantly fewer seizures compared to those fed a standard diet, using a mouse model bred to mimic epilepsy. Lum expanded on this research by investigating how the gut microbiome is beneficially altered in children with epilepsy who undergo ketogenic diet therapy.
To investigate this further, Lum transplanted fecal samples from pediatric epilepsy patients on the diet into mice to determine if the gut microbiota associated with the diet could confer protection against seizures. Fecal samples were obtained from 10 pediatric epilepsy patients who had not responded to anti-seizure medication and were subsequently treated with the ketogenic diet. Samples were collected before starting the diet and after one month on the diet.
The study revealed that mice that received fecal transplants from patients collected after one month on the diet showed increased resistance to seizures compared to those that received pre-diet fecal transplants. Additionally, the study found that the ketogenic diet caused beneficial alterations in gut microbiome functions related to fatty acid oxidation and amino acid metabolism in the pediatric patients, and these changes were preserved in the mice that received the transplants.
While further research is needed to fully understand these changes, Lum believes this study is a promising step towards developing microbiome-based therapies for pediatric epilepsy patients who do not respond to standard anti-seizure medications. By identifying the specific functions of the beneficial microbes that contribute to seizure protection, new strategies could be developed to enhance the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet or replicate its favorable effects.
In conclusion, this UCLA study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms behind the ketogenic diet’s effectiveness in controlling seizures. By focusing on the alterations in the gut microbiome caused by the diet, researchers aim to develop new therapeutic approaches that harness these changes for the benefit of individuals with refractory epilepsy.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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