A Non Invasive Determination Of Ketosis Induced Elimination Of Chronic Daytime Somnolence In A Patient With Late Stage Dementia (Assessed With Type 3 Diabetes) A Potential Role Of Neurogenesis

This case study followed an elderly woman with late-stage dementia who suffered from chronic daytime sleepiness—meaning she was awake and alert only about 7% of her days. The researchers wondered if her dementia might be related to "Type 3 diabetes," a term some scientists use to describe how the brain becomes resistant to insulin, similar to Type 2 diabetes but affecting brain function specifically.

The treatment approach involved putting the patient on a ketogenic diet (which produces low levels of ketones in the blood) combined with ketone ester supplements (which temporarily raised ketone levels higher). Ketones are an alternative fuel source that the brain can use instead of glucose, and they may be especially helpful when the brain has trouble using sugar effectively.

Over about 10 months, the researchers tracked dramatic improvements in the patient's wakefulness. She gradually progressed from being alert only 7% of days to 40% of days (partial wakefulness), and eventually to 85% of days (near-normal wakefulness). Importantly, these improvements appeared to be permanent—when the patient became ill and her alertness temporarily declined, it recovered much faster the second time, suggesting the underlying brain circuits had been repaired rather than just temporarily energized.

The researchers believe ketosis may have promoted the growth of new brain cells (neurogenesis) and improved the brain's energy production systems. While this is only one case study and more research is needed, it suggests that metabolic interventions like ketogenic approaches might help address cognitive decline by targeting the brain's energy metabolism—an important consideration for anyone interested in maintaining brain health as they age.