ketogenic diet

Mechanisms and precision therapies in genetic epilepsies

Large scale genetic studies and associated functional investigations have tremendously augmented our knowledge about the mechanisms underlying epileptic seizures, and sometimes also accompanying developmental problems. Pharmacotherapy of the epilepsies is routinely guided by trial and error, since predictors for a response to specific antiepileptic drugs are largely missing. The recent advances in the field of genetic epilepsies now offer an increasing amount of either well fitting established or new re-purposing therapies for genetic epilepsy syndromes based on understanding of the pathophysiological principles. Examples are provided by variants in ion channel or transporter encoding genes which cause a broad spectrum of epilepsy syndromes of variable severity and onset, (1) the ketogenic diet for glucose transporter defects of the blood-brain barrier, (2) Na+ channel blockers (e.g. carbamazepine) for gain-of-function Na+ channel mutations and avoidance of those drugs for loss-of-function mutations, and (3) specific K+ channel blockers for mutations with a gain-of-function defect in respective K+ channels. I will focus in my talk on the latter two including the underlying mechanisms, their relation to clinical phenotypes and possible therapeutic implications. In conclusion, genetic and mechanistic studies offer promising tools to predict therapeutic effects in rare epilepsies.

KETOGENIC DIET MODULATES GUT–BRAIN AXIS DYSFUNCTION IN A SEX-DEPENDENT MANNER IN A NEUROMELANIN-BASED PARKINSON’S DISEASE MOUSE MODEL

FENS Forum 2026

IN UTERO KETOGENIC DIET EXPOSURE ALTERS HIPPOCAMPAL CONNECTIVITY AND SEX-SPECIFIC NEUROBEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES IN ADULT MICE

FENS Forum 2026

KETOGENIC DIET–INDUCED CHANGES IN EARLY-LIFE GUT MICROBIOTA DEVELOPMENT

FENS Forum 2026

KETOGENIC DIET LIMITS NEURONAL LOSS AND MODIFIES ASTROCYTE MORPHOLOGY AFTER TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

FENS Forum 2026

SEX-SPECIFIC ROLE OF NEUROPLASTICITY FACTOR BDNF IN BEHAVIORAL, NEUROBIOLOGICAL, AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF KETOGENIC DIET IN MICE

FENS Forum 2026

A gestational ketogenic diet alters brain wiring and leads to sex-specific and autism-like behavior in the offspring of adult mice

FENS Forum 2024

Ketogenic diet buffers brain gene expression and ethanol consumption induced by vicarious social defeat exposure in female mice

FENS Forum 2024

The ketogenic diet suppresses appetite altering orexigenic and anorexigenic pathways in hypothalamus of diet-induced obese and lean mice

FENS Forum 2024

TAAR1: Bridging ketogenic diet-induced neuroprotection and gut-brain axis in ischemic stroke

FENS Forum 2024

Effects of social isolation stress and ketogenic diet on mice behavior and metabolism

Evaluation of the effect of KetoVOLVE and medium-chain triglyceride based ketogenic diet on PPARs gene modulation in glioblastoma tumor development

Ketogenic diet protects the brain against weight decrease after traumatic brain injury

Effects of ketogenic diet and BDNF deficiency in mouse chronic restraint stress model

FENS Forum 2024