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Fatty acids in restrictive diet could be used to treat epilepsy: Study

Written by: QMI Agency
Nov. 22, 2012

Researchers at the University of London have made a discovery they hope will lead to the development of a pill to control epilepsy by using fatty acids that are common in the high-fat, low-carb diet often prescribed to epileptics.

Researchers at University College London and Royal Holloway tested the fatty acids and compared them to established epilepsy treatments. They found that some fatty acids were better than the drugs at controlling seizures and with fewer side effects.

The fatty acids are found in the ketogenic diet, which is often prescribed for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

"Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide and approximately a third of these people have epilepsy that is not adequately controlled by our present treatments," study author Matthew Walker said in a release. "This discovery offers a whole new approach to the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsies in children and adults."

The study was published Thursday in the journal Neuropharmacology.

 

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