as of early 2007. The National Institute of Neurolog-
ical Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is conducting
ongoing research in the biochemical effects of the
ketogenic diet; scientists are hoping that they might
be able to eventually formulate a medication that will
have the same effectiveness as the diet itself without
the potential side effects.
Another area of recent research is the use of the
ketogenic diet in the treatment of other disorders. It
appears to be beneficial in the treatment of patients
with glucose transporter defects (genetically transmit-
ted disorders in which glucose in the blood cannot
cross the blood-brain barrier) and a few other inborn
metabolic disorders. In 2006 a group of researchers at
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York
reported that the diet shows promise in slowing the
progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a pro-
gressive and fatal disease of the nerve cells that control
movement.
Resources
BOOKS
‘‘Carbohydrate Metabolism Disorders.’’ Chapter 296, Sec-
tion 19 in theMerck Manual of Diagnosis and Treat-
ment, 18th ed. Edited by Mark H. Beers and Robert
Berkow. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck, 2007.
Freeman, John M., et al.The Ketogenic Diet: A Treatment
for Children and Others with Epilepsy, 4th ed. New
York: Demos, 2007.
‘‘Seizure Disorders.’’ Chapter 214, Section 16 in theMerck
Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment, 18th ed. Edited by
Mark H. Beers and Robert Berkow. Whitehouse Sta-
tion, NJ: Merck, 2007.
PERIODICALS
Benbadis, Selim R., MD, and William O. Tatum IV, DO.
‘‘Advances in the Treatment of Epilepsy.’’American
Family Physician64 (July 1, 2001): 91–106.
Coppola, G., P. Veggiotti, R. Cusmai, et al. ‘‘The Ketogenic
Diet in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with
Refractory Epilepsy: An Italian Multicentric Experi-
ence.’’Epilepsy Research48 (February 2002): 221–227.
Freeman, J. M., E. H. Kossoff, and A. L. Hartman. ‘‘The
Ketogenic Diet: One Decade Later.’’Pediatrics 119
(March 2007): 535–543.
Hartman, A. L., and E. P. Vining. ‘‘Clinical Aspects of the
Ketogenic Diet.’’Epilepsia48 (January 2007): 31–42.
Kang, H. C., and H. D. Kim. ‘‘Diet Therapy in Refractory
Pediatric Epilepsy: Increased Efficacy and Tolerabil-
ity.’’Epileptic Disorders8 (December 2006): 309–316.
This article describes the development of the Sanggye
Paik Hospital ketogenic diet.
Kang, H.C., H. S. Lee, S. J. You, et al. ‘‘Use of a Modified
Atkins Diet in Intractable Childhood Epilepsy.’’Epi-
lepsia48 (January 2007): 182–186.
Kossoff, E. H., J. R. McGrogan, R. M. Bluml, et al. ‘‘A
Modified Atkins Diet is Effective for the Treatment of
Intractable Childhood Epilepsy.’’Epilepsia47 (Febru-
ary 2006): 421–424.
Turner, Zahava, RD, and Eric H. Kossoff, MD. ‘‘The
Ketogenic and Atkins Diets: Recipes for Seizure Con-
trol.’’Practical Gastroenterology(June 2006): 53–64.
Zhao, Z., D. J. Lange, A. Voustianiouk, et al. ‘‘A Ketogenic
Diet as a Potential Novel Therapeutic Intervention in
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.’’BMC Neuroscience 7
(April 3, 2006): 29.
VIDEOS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS
Abrahams, Jim, and Meryl Streep (narrator).Introductory
Video to the Ketogenic Diet. This is a video for parents
of children with epilepsy using the ketogenic diet. It
shows step-by-step meal preparation, food choices for
the diet, and frank discussions of parents’ initial con-
cerns as well as problems that families encounter in
adhering to the diet. To order the video, parents should
send a written letter and a check for $10 to cover ship-
ping and handling costs to The Charlie Foundation at
the address given below.
Ketogenic Diet Program, Epilepsy Association of Mary-
land.Ketogenic Diet Computer Program. This is a
computer program for dietitians and parents to help
plan meals for a child on a ketogenic diet. It is a Win-
dows-based program requiring an IBM-compatible
machine. The computer disk can be purchased ($150 for
dietitians, $75 for parents, plus $5 fee for shipping and
handling) at the following address: Ketogenic Diet
Program, c/o Epilepsy Association of Maryland,
300 East Joppa Road, Suite 1103, Towson,
MD 21286-3018. Telephone: (410) 828-7700.
OTHER
Epilepsy Foundation.General Information about the Keto-
genic Diet. Landover, MD: Epilepsy Foundation, 2007.
Available online at http://www.epilepsyfoundation.
org/answerplace/Medical/treatment/diet/ (accessed
March 28, 2007).
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS). NINDS Summer Program—Erika Williams.
‘‘Stimulus Train Induced Bursting as an In Vitro Model
of Epilepsy,’’ January 11, 2007. This is an updated
report on research being conducted to determine which
metabolic compounds produced in the bodies of
patients on ketogenic diets may be responsible for
controlling seizures. Available online at http://
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/jobs_and_training/summer/
2006_students/Abstract_Erika_Williams.htm (accessed
March 28, 2007).
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS).Seizures and Epilepsy: Hope through
Research. Bethesda, MD: NINDS, 2004. Available
online at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/epilepsy/
detail_epilepsy.htm.
Rho, Jong M., MD.The Ketogenic Diet in Pediatric
Epilepsy. The most detailed overview of theKetogenic diets