Highlights
- •Patients using the ketogenic diet are reported as more active and productive.
- •Less anxiety and mood problems are reported in children using the ketogenic diet.
- •Improvement of activation in cognitive functioning during the ketogenic diet is seen.
- •An activated mood and cognitive activation are observed during the ketogenic diet.
- •The ketogenic diet has no negative impact on behavior and cognition in childhood.
Abstract
Purpose
The ketogenic diet (KD) is increasingly used for the treatment of refractory epilepsy
in childhood because of the beneficial effect on seizure reduction. The aim of the
current study was to objectively assess cognition and aspects of behavior during the
first 4 months of a randomized controlled study in children and adolescents.
Methods
Participants from a tertiary epilepsy center were randomized to a KD group (intervention)
or a care-as-usual (CAU) group (control). Follow-up assessments on cognition and behavior
were performed approximately 4 months after initiation of the KD with a combination of parent report questionnaires
and individually administered psychological tests for the children.
Results
A total of 50 patients were enrolled in this study, 28 patients from the KD group
and 22 patients from the CAU group. The KD group showed lower levels of anxious and
mood-disturbed behavior and was rated as more productive. Cognitive test results showed
an improvement of activation in the KD group.
Conclusions
This study showed a positive impact of the KD on behavioral and cognitive functioning
in children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy. More specifically, an activated
mood and cognitive activation were observed in patients treated with the KD.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 17, 2016
Accepted:
April 18,
2016
Received in revised form:
April 12,
2016
Received:
March 21,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
