K J Bough1, D A Eagles. 1. Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057-1229, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a ketogenic diet would increase the resistance of rats to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and to understand the relation of ketonemia to seizure resistance. METHODS: A freely consumed, high-fat (ketogenic) diet was administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 5-10 weeks, while control animals were fed either rodent chow or a high-carbohydrate diet. Ketonemia was measured as plasma levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid (beta-OHB). Seizures were induced by tail-vein infusion of pentylenetetrazole. RESULTS: The ketogenic diet produced a highly significant (p<0.01) increase in beta-OHB levels within 5 days. Induction of seizures by PTZ 35 days after animals were placed on their respective diets showed that ketogenic animals had a significantly (p<0.01) increased threshold for seizure induction compared with those fed an isocaloric diet of either high-carbohydrate or normal rodent chow. Ketogenic animals did not exhibit increased seizure severity relative to controls, despite receiving consistently higher doses of PTZ. CONCLUSIONS: The ketogenic diet resulted in an increased seizure threshold, confirming the hypothesis, and seizure threshold was found to be a direct function of the level of ketonemia.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a ketogenic diet would increase the resistance of rats to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and to understand the relation of ketonemia to seizure resistance. METHODS: A freely consumed, high-fat (ketogenic) diet was administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 5-10 weeks, while control animals were fed either rodent chow or a high-carbohydrate diet. Ketonemia was measured as plasma levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid (beta-OHB). Seizures were induced by tail-vein infusion of pentylenetetrazole. RESULTS: The ketogenic diet produced a highly significant (p<0.01) increase in beta-OHB levels within 5 days. Induction of seizures by PTZ 35 days after animals were placed on their respective diets showed that ketogenic animals had a significantly (p<0.01) increased threshold for seizure induction compared with those fed an isocaloric diet of either high-carbohydrate or normal rodent chow. Ketogenic animals did not exhibit increased seizure severity relative to controls, despite receiving consistently higher doses of PTZ. CONCLUSIONS: The ketogenic diet resulted in an increased seizure threshold, confirming the hypothesis, and seizure threshold was found to be a direct function of the level of ketonemia.
Authors: Nicholas Douris; Tamar Melman; Jordan M Pecherer; Pavlos Pissios; Jeffrey S Flier; Lewis C Cantley; Jason W Locasale; Eleftheria Maratos-Flier Journal: Biochim Biophys Acta Date: 2015-07-11
Authors: Astrid Nehlig; Franck Dufour; Marianne Klinger; Lisa B Willing; Ian A Simpson; Susan J Vannucci Journal: J Neurochem Date: 2009-05 Impact factor: 5.372