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Decades of both exploratory and rigorous scientific research demonstrate that mental illness often arises from metabolic dysfunction affecting the brain. A growing body of published papers are establishing the connection between underlying metabolic function and cognition, perception, mood and behavior.
Publications about research trials in humans that share observations or the outcomes of an intervention
Detailed accounts of individual or group experiences and outcomes with a particular intervention or condition.
Papers outlining the design and methodology of a planned, completed, or ongoing clinical trial.
Articles that synthesize findings from multiple studies to highlight the current understanding of a topic.
Early stage research that tests potential treatments in the lab to assess safety and effectiveness before they move to human trials.
Research papers that examine data to draw conclusions or uncover patterns, relationships, or new insights.
We maintain a growing database of published scientific papers related to metabolism and mental health across a variety of psychiatric diagnoses, including Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, Anorexia, Binge Eating Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and more.
Diagnosis
Depression, Anxiety
Institution
Dokuz Eylul University
This pre-clinical study found that combining a ketogenic diet with regular voluntary exercise significantly reduced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in an animal model.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
University of Guelph
This pre-clinical study found that combining a ketogenic diet with regular voluntary exercise significantly reduced anxiety and depression-like behaviors in an animal model.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University
This pre-clinical study hypothesizes that chronic administration of BHB (beta-hydroxybutyrate) replicates the therapeutic effects of ketogenic diet for schizophrenia in mice.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
James Cook University
Researchers at James Cook University suggest that metabolically-based intervention, shown through animal models, might have therapeutic value in the management of schizophrenia.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University
A pre-clinical study that investigated whether a ketogenic diet could reverse schizophrenia-like behavioral changes in mice caused by acute NMDA receptor hypofunction—a common experimental model for schizophrenia.
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Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa
Institution
New York University
This pre-clinical study focuses on the ketogenic diet reducing the severity on an Anorexia Nervosa relapse through the reduction of compulsive exercise.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
James Cook University
This pre-clinical study focuses on selected genetic, early neurodevelopmental and pharmacological animal models that capture the combined behavioral and metabolic abnormalities shown by schizophrenic patients.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
Institution
University of Edinburgh
This analysis paper aims to investigate associations between a ketogenic diet and mood stabilization among individuals with bipolar disorder.
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Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa
Institution
University of California
This review paper describes a neurological model for why ketogenic therapy could address key alterations in anorexia nervosa and prevent the desire for weight loss.
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Institution
Oxford University
This review paper aims to explain how ketogenic diets can improve mental illness biopathology and review the recent clinical literature.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar
Institution
University of Pittsburgh
This review paper describes recent findings, highlighting 2 types of neurobiological abnormalities in BD: 1) mitochondrial dysfunction and 2) neurotransmitter and neural network functional abnormalities.
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Institution
James Cook University
This protocol paper reviews the commonly used best practices involved in applications of the ketogenic diet to facilitate its translation into clinical use.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Institution
Parnassia Psychiatric Institute
This ongoing triple-blind, randomized controlled crossover trial investigates the effects of a single ingestion of KE (ketone esters) on signs and symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) and…
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
Institution
University of Michigan
This pilot clinical trial protocol aims to investigate the effect of a ‘ketogenic-mimicking diet’ on neural network stability, mood, and biomarker outcomes in the setting of bipolar disorder.
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Diagnosis
PTSD, ADHD, Binge-Eating Disorder
Institution
University of East London
A case series on a 38 years-old female participating in a structured 8 weeks KMT psychoeducation program to put PTSD, ADHD, BED, and more into remission.
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Diagnosis
OCD
Institution
Family Renewal, Inc.
This case study explores the adjunctive use of ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) in conjunction with ERP for a 26-year-old man with treatment-resistant OCD over 12 weeks.
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Diagnosis
Depression
Institution
University of Oxford, University of East London
This case study examines a 47-year-old woman with lifelong treatment-resistant MDD who achieved complete remission and improved functioning through a ketogenic diet.
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Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa
Institution
Internal Medicine & Addiction Medicine
A case series of a 29 year-old woman who struggled with severe anorexia who experienced a complete recovery following a ketogenic diet and ketamine infusions.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
A case series of two patients with schizophrenia who achieve full remission of psychotic symptoms after following a ketogenic diet.
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Diagnosis
Schizoaffective Disorder
Institution
McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
A case series looking at glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, and how the ketogenic diet can help people with schizoaffective disorder.
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Diagnosis
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Institution
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
A clinical trial paper demonstrating the use of ketogenic diet intervention to reduce alcohol withdrawal severity and alcohol cravings.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar
Institution
University of Edinburgh
A pilot study aiming to assess the impact of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder on clinical, metabolic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy outcomes.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar
Institution
Newcastle University
A process evaluation providing insights into the experiences of people living with bipolar disorder initiating and following a ketogenic diet.
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Diagnosis
Mental Health Disorders
Institution
University of Toronto
A review that highlights how brain function relies heavily on energy metabolism and that disruptions in this process are common in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Diagnosis
Mental Health Disorders
A collection of research exploring the potential of ketogenic metabolic therapy as a novel, low-risk intervention for a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Diagnosis
OCD
Institution
McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
A case series of three individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who achieve medication-free remission and a 90.5% reduction in symptoms after adopting a ketogenic diet.
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Diagnosis
OCD, Ulcerative Colitis
A case study describing the first clinical application of a ketogenic diet in adult OCD with ulcerative colitis (UC) resulting in complete remission of OCD, clinical remission of UC, and improved metabolic health.
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Diagnosis
Schizoaffective Disorder
Institution
University of Oxford, University of East London
A case series of two individuals who experienced full remission of psychotic and mood symptoms after implementing ketogenic metabolic therapy.
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Diagnosis
Autism
Institution
Leiden University
A ketogenic diet may benefit individuals with autism spectrum disorder by addressing underlying metabolic and neuroprotective mechanisms.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Institution
James Cook University
A clinical trial protocol to investigate whether a ketogenic diet can reduce psychiatric and metabolic symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder by comparing it…
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
A case study about how ketogenic therapy improved treatment-resistant depressive symptoms in a patient with bipolar disorder, leading to a stabilized mood, enhanced quality of life, and reduced medication…
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Institution
University of Toledo
Disruptions in metabolic pathways are linked to serious mental illness and suggest that ketogenic interventions may help restore metabolic balance based on gene expression data analysis.
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Diagnosis
Depression
Institution
University of East London
Analysis demonstrating that in lived experience accounts of ketogenic therapy for depressive symptoms, pros outweigh cons for participants.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Depression
Institution
McLean Hospital
Review of evidence about how ketogenic diets may improve mood disorders by targeting metabolic dysfunctions, including mitochondrial issues, inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance, as explored in recent…
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia
Institution
Stanford University
A 4-month clinical trial at Stanford of ketogenic diet for serious mental illness showed promising preliminary results indicating remission of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in participants who adhered…
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Diagnosis
Depression
Institution
Innovative Psychiatry, LLC
A case series of three adults who achieve complete remission of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder with a ketogenic dietary intervention.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
Institution
The University of Edinburgh
A clinical trial paper demonstrating the safety and efficacy of using ketogenic therapy in bipolar disorder.
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Diagnosis
Depression
Institution
Stanford University (Rasgon Lab)
This study looked at people with both type 2 diabetes and depression, finding that standard treatments might not work as well for them. It tested whether adding a…
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Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa
Institution
Harvard Medical School
Researchers at Harvard published this case series suggesting a ketogenic diet may be useful for some patients with anorexia nervosa.
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
Stanford University & UCSF
Drs. Shebani Sethi and Judy Ford call for more clinical trials to address the potential beneficial effects of the ketogenic diet in people with serious mental illness.
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Diagnosis
Anorexia Nervosa
Institution
Innovative Psychiatry, LLC
A small pilot trial demonstrated safety and efficacy for adults with chronic psychopathology and supports specific neurobiological mechanisms that can be normalized using therapeutic ketogenic diet and ketamine.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder, Schizoaffective, Depression
Institution
University of Toulouse
Dr. Albert Danan showed that in a French cohort of treatment-resistant inpatients, all experienced weight loss and psychiatric symptom reduction, with nearly half no longer meeting criteria for…
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
Institution
Dalhousie University
Dr. Cynthia Calkin and colleagues demonstrate that improving insulin sensitivity in treatment-resistant bipolar depression led to remission after decades of illness.
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Diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder
Institution
The University of Edinburgh
Drs. Harry and Iain Campbell suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction in bipolar disorder likely stems from issues with the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDC), leading to reduced energy production (ATP)….
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Diagnosis
Schizophrenia
Institution
James Cook University & McLean Hospital
A commentary reviewing the emerging evidence supporting the use of nutritional ketosis as a treatment for serious mental illness.
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Metabolic Therapies for Psychiatry: State of the Evidence