Role of the ketogenic diets therapy in several mental disorders
Authors/Country | Intervention characteristics | Instruments | Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Calabrese et al. [62]/USA | Depression: N = 3 adults (32–36 years old) with MDD and GAD. Treatment with KD for 12–16 weeks. | GAD-7, PHQ-9. | Two from three patients achieved remission in MDD and GAD within 12 weeks of KD treatment. |
Danan et al. [97]/France | Depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia: N = 31 adults. Treatment with KD for 248 days. | HDRS, MADRS, PANSS. | The KD treatment for patients with refractory mental illness was feasible, well-tolerated, and associated with significant improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms. |
Adams et al. [98]/USA | Depression: N = 262 adults (21–65 years old) with diabetes type 2. Treatment with carbohydrate restriction diet for 2 years. | CESD | Subclinical depressive symptoms decreased over the first 10 weeks and reductions were maintained out to 2 years with the tested diet. |
Garner et al. [99]/United Kingdom | Mood: N = 147 patients (> 18 years old). Treatment with KD for 8 months.Depression and anxiety: N = 276 (> 18 years old). Treatment with KD for 6 months. | BL-VAS, DASS-21. | KD was associated with higher self-reported mental and emotional well-being behaviors, including calmness, alertness and contentedness (improved mood). In addition, individuals who consumed a KD were less anxious and depressed. |
Iacovides et al. [100]/South Africa | Mood: N = 11 healthy subjects (mean age 30 years old). Treatment with KD and an isocaloric diet (HCLF) for 3 weeks. | Cogstate, PSQI. | The results suggest that 3 weeks of sustained nutritional ketosis had no effect on cognitive performance, mood, or subjective sleep quality. |
Needham et al. [103]/United Kingdom | Bipolar disorder: N = 20 euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder (18–70 years old). Treatment with KD for 6 weeks. | BDI, YMRS, ALS, WTRUQ. | The adverse events in the majority of participants were generally mild and modifiable. |
Sethi et al. [104]/USA | Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: N = 23 (18–75 years old). Treatment with KD for 4 months. | BPRSS, CGI. | Participants with schizophrenia showed a reduction in BPRSS, and the severity of CGI improved. |
Longhitano et al. [107]/Australia | Bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia: N = 100 (> 18 years old). Treatment with modified KD for 14 weeks. | PANSS, BDI, YMRS, ALS, CCB. | The modified KD therapy was well tolerated and improved psychiatric and metabolic outcomes. The authors suggested a correlation between the levels of ketones and metabolic, cognitive and psychiatric improvements. |
Palmer et al. [108]/USA | Schizophrenia: N = 2 adults (39 and 82 years old). Treatment with KD for 2 weeks. | PANSS | The cases suggest that KD may be an effective treatment for schizophrenia and for restoring function in life. |
Lee et al. [111]/USA | Autism: N = 15 children with ASD (2–17 years old). Treatment with a modified KD (gluten free) supplemented with MCT for 3 months. | ADOS-2, CARS. | The modified diet is a potentially beneficial treatment tool to improve the features of ASD. |
Żarnowska et al. [112]/Poland | Autism: N = 1 child (6 years old). Treatment with KD for 16 months. | WISC-R, CARS. | KD improved the behavior and intellect of the subject. |
Tidman et al. [113]/USA | Parkinson: N = 1 PD patient (53 years old). Treatment with KD for 24 weeks. | CESDR, PAS, UPDRS. | KD results in the elevation of blood ketones that provide an enhanced mood, motivation and sleep quality, reduced levels of anxiety, and improved cognitive functions while reducing PD symptoms. |
Phillips et al. [114]/New Zealand | Parkinson: N = 38 PD patients (40–75 years old). Treatment with KD or low-fat KD for 8 weeks. | UPDRS, MoCA. | Both diet groups significantly improved motor and non-motor symptoms; however, the KD group showed greater improvements in non-motor symptoms. |
Neth et al. [115]/USA | Alzheimer: N = 20 AD patients (11 with subjective memory complaints and 9 with mild cognitive impairment). Treatment with modified Mediterranean-KD (MMKD) for 6 weeks. | SMC, MRI. | All participants improved metabolic indices following MMKD. This diet has been associated with decreased tau and it is adequate in the prevention of cognitive decline. |
Ota et al. [116]/Japan | Alzheimer: N = 20 AD patients (mean age 73.4 years). Treatment with MCT for 12 weeks. | MMSE, ADAS-Cog. | Diet produced significant improvement in verbal memory and processing speed in AD patients. |
Phillips et al. [117]/New Zealand | Alzheimer: N = 21 hospitalized patients with AD (mean age 73.4 years old). Treatment with modified KD or low-fat KD for 10 weeks. | ACE, QoL-AD, ADCS-ADL. | AD patients who consumed modified KD increased ADCS-AD and QoL-AD scores. |
Brandt et al. [118]/USA | Alzheimer: N = 9 patients with AD. Treatment with MAD for 12 weeks. | MCS | MAD participants increased MCS scores, enhanced episodic memory, and patient-reported vitality in very early AD. |
Henderson et al. [119]/USA | Alzheimer: N = 413 mild-to-moderate AD patients. Treatment with AC-1204 (caprylic triglyceride) for 24 weeks. | ADAS-Cog, ADCS-ADL. | The formulation AC-1204 (caprylic triglyceride) failed to improve cognition or functional ability in AD patients. |
KD: ketogenic diet; MCT: medium-chain triglyceride; MAD: modified Atkins diet; MDD: major depression disorder; GAD: generalized anxiety disorder; ASD: autism spectrum disorder; PD: Parkinson’s disease; AD: Alzheimer’s disease; ACE: Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination; ADAS-Cog: Alzheimer’s disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale; ADCS-ADL: Alzheimer’s disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Inventory; ADOS-2: Austism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2; ALS: Affective Lability Scale; BDI: Beck’s Depression Inventory; BL-VAS: Bond-Lader Visual Analog Scales; BPRSS: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Scores; CARS: Childhood Autism Rating Scale; CCB: Cambridge Cognitive Battery; CESD: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CESDR: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised; CGI: Overall Clinical Global Impression; Cogstate: Psychological Computer-based Test Battery; DASS-21: Depressive Anxiety Stress Scale-21; GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7; HDRS: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; MADRS: Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale; MCS: Memory Composite Score; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination; MoCA: Montreal Cognitive Assessment; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; PANSS: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PAS: Parkinson’s Anxiety Scale; PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PSQI: Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index; QoL-AD: Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s disease; SMC: Cognitive Change Index; UPRS: United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale; WISC-R: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised; WTRUQ: Within Trial Resource Use Questionnaire; YMRS: Young Mania Rating Scale