New research uncovers and replicates the mechanism by which a ketogenic diet curbs brain inflammation. The findings pave the way for a new drug target that could achieve the same benefits of a keto diet without having to actually follow one.

Share on Pinterest The ketogenic diet is low in carbohydrates and high in fat.

The keto diet is focused on reducing the amount of carbohydrates as much as possible and increasing the amount of fat.

Besides its weight loss-related benefits, recent studies have pointed to many other advantages. For instance, Medical News Today recently covered research suggesting that the diet may increase longevity and improve memory in old age.

Other studies have noted the neurological benefits of the diet. The keto diet is used to treat epilepsy, and some have suggested that it may prove helpful in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

However, the mechanism by which a keto diet may benefit the brain in these illnesses has been a mystery. The new research – which was led by Dr. Raymond Swanson, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco – suggests that it may do so by reducing brain inflammation.

In the new study, Dr. Swanson and team show the molecular process by which the keto diet reduces brain inflammation. The researchers also identify a key protein that, if blocked, could create the effects of a keto diet.

This means that a drug could be designed to reduce inflammation in patients who cannot follow a keto diet because of other health reasons.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.