Study finds a high caloric diet may prevent the progression of amyotrophic lateral...( tion and neuroprotection were studied. ...)

Blood ketones were > 3.5 times higher in KD fed animals compared to controls. KD fed mice lost 50% of baseline motor performance 25 days later than the disease controls. The interaction between diet and change in weight was significant; KD mice weighed 4.6g more than the disease control group at study endpoint. In spinal cord sections obtained at the study endpoint, there were more motor neurons in KD fed animals. DBH prevented rotenone mediated inhibition of mitochondrial complex I but not malonate inhibition of complex II. Rotenone neurotoxicity in spinal cord motorneuron was also inhibited by DBH.

The Conclusions
This is the first study showing that diet, specifically a high caloric - KD, may slow the progression of the clinical and biological manifestations of ALS in a mouse model. This may be due to the ability of ketone bodies to promote ATP synthesis and bypass inhibition of complex I in the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

'"/>

Contact: Mount Sinai Press Office
NewsMedia@mssm.edu
212-241-9200
The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
17-Apr-2006