Ketogenic diet: modern approaches to adjuvant therapy in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Annotation. Ketogenic diet (KD) is a way of eating that leads to increased production of ketone bodies (B-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate) in the body. The effect is achieved by obtaining the largest share of energy from fats and a minimum of carbohydrate consumption. KD simulates a state of starvation in the body, but does not lead to negative consequences. The effect of KD in the treatment of resistant epilepsy is the basis for its influence on such diseases as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, migraine. The aim of this work was to analyze the mechanisms of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. A retrospective analysis of clinical studies, a systematic review of the scientific literature were conducted, and many articles in the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Elsevier, National Library of Medicine, Cochrane Database, Biosis Previews were analyzed. The mechanism of action of the ketogenic diet is the ability to form an alternative source of energy in the form of ketone bodies. The ketogenic diet has a therapeutic effect in the treatment of nervous diseases, in particular with disorders of glucose metabolism and neurodegeneration and has a positive effect on pediatric forms of epilepsy (Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome). It is due to such mechanisms as reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and improving neuronal metabolism through the use of ketone bodies as an additional source of energy. We note that the keto diet is not the main method of treating these conditions and does not exclude the main protocol methods of patient management.