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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Nutritional Immunology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1425816
This article is part of the Research Topic Immunomics: The Immune Regulatory Networks in the One Health Perspective View all 7 articles

Exploring the Ketogenic Diet's Potential in Reducing Neuroinflammation and Modulating Immune Responses Neuroinflammation and immune activation: the role of ketogenic diet

Provisionally accepted
Antonietta Monda Antonietta Monda 1*Maria Ester La Torre Maria Ester La Torre 2Antonietta Messina Antonietta Messina 3Girolamo Di Maio Girolamo Di Maio 4Vincenzo Monda Vincenzo Monda 5Fiorenzo Moscatelli Fiorenzo Moscatelli 6*Marida De Stefano Marida De Stefano 2*Marco La Marra Marco La Marra 4Marilena D. Padova Marilena D. Padova 7Anna Dipace Anna Dipace 6*Pierpaolo Limone Pierpaolo Limone 6Maria Casillo Maria Casillo 4*Marcellino Monda Marcellino Monda 4Giovanni Messina Giovanni Messina 4*Rita Polito Rita Polito 2*
  • 1 Department of Human Science and Promotion of Quality of Life, San Raffaele Telematic University, Rome, Lazio, Italy
  • 2 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
  • 3 Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Campania, Italy
  • 4 Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Campania, Italy
  • 5 University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Campania, Italy
  • 6 Pegaso University, Naples, Campania, Italy
  • 7 Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Apulia, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The ketogenic diet (KD) is marked by a substantial decrease in carbohydrate intake and an elevated consumption of fats and proteins, leading to a metabolic state referred to as "ketosis," where fats become the primary source of energy. Recent research has underscored the potential advantages of the KD in mitigating the risk of various illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, and cancer. The macronutrient distribution in the KD typically entails high lipid intake, moderate protein consumption, and low carbohydrate intake. Restricting carbohydrates to below 50 g/day induces a catabolic state, prompting metabolic alterations such as gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis. Ketogenesis diminishes fat and glucose accumulation as energy reserves, stimulating the production of fatty acids. Neurodegenerative diseases, encompassing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease are hallmarked by persistent neuroinflammation. Evolving evidence indicates that immune activation and neuroinflammation play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. The protective effects of the KD are linked to the generation of ketone bodies (KB), which play a pivotal role in this dietary ha formattato: Inglese (Regno Unito), Evidenziato Formattato: Allineato a sinistra protocol. Considering these findings, this narrative review seeks to delve into the potential effects of the KD in neuroinflammation by modulating the immune response. Grasping the immunomodulatory effects of the KD on the central nervous system could offer valuable insights into innovative therapeutic approaches for these incapacitating conditions.

    Keywords: Ketogenic Diet, Neuroinflammation, Ketone Bodies, Central Nervous System, Immunomodulation

    Received: 01 May 2024; Accepted: 30 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Monda, La Torre, Messina, Di Maio, Monda, Moscatelli, De Stefano, La Marra, Padova, Dipace, Limone, Casillo, Monda, Messina and Polito. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Antonietta Monda, Department of Human Science and Promotion of Quality of Life, San Raffaele Telematic University, Rome, Lazio, Italy
    Fiorenzo Moscatelli, Pegaso University, Naples, Campania, Italy
    Marida De Stefano, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
    Anna Dipace, Pegaso University, Naples, Campania, Italy
    Maria Casillo, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, 80138, Campania, Italy
    Giovanni Messina, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, 80138, Campania, Italy
    Rita Polito, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.