Wednesday, December 4, 2024 12/4/2024

Evaluation of a Ketogenic Diet for Improvement of Neurological Recovery in Individuals with Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01NR016443
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

Group Awards By:

View Award Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite extensive research, clinical advancements, and improved rehabilitation strategies, spinal cord injury (SCI) continues to be a significant cause of disability and mortality worldwide, and no pharmacologic therapy has demonstrated significant improvement effects in the neurological or functional recovery of individuals with SCI. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative therapies for improving neurorecovery after SCI. The scientific premise of this project builds upon accumulating evidence that diet-based therapies, such as the ketogenic diet (KD), offer effective neuroprotection against secondary injury cascades and improve forelimb motor function in a rat model of SCI. The KD is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet designed to mimic the metabolic and biochemical changes that occur during calorie restriction, specifically ketosis. Ketone bodies have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects by attenuating neuroinflammation and inhibiting apoptosis in the spinal cord. Because neuroinflammation and induction of apoptotic pathways lead to progressive degeneration in the spinal cord shortly after the injury, inhibition of these processes by ketone bodies may enhance neurological recovery after an SCI. Indeed, our recent pilot study showed for the first time that, compared with a standard hospital diet (SD), 5 weeks of KD improved upper extremity motor function in patients with acute SCI. In addition, levels of a neuroinflammatory blood protein, fibrinogen, were lower in the KD serum samples than in the SD serum samples, suggesting a KD may induce anti-inflammatory effects in part by reducing fibrinogen. The acute stage after SCI is also characterized by hyperglycemia, which is strongly associated with poor functional outcomes at discharge. In our pilot study, fasting serum glucose levels decreased by 24 mg/dl in the KD group but increased by 0.7 mg/dl in the SD group. These provocative findings have led us to our central hypothesis that SCI patients who consume a KD over the first 5 weeks (average hospital stay) after injury will have better neurological recovery, functional independence, and glycemic control than the SCI patients who consume an SD during this period. We will test this hypothesis in a randomized, controlled trial with two specific aims: 1) Determine if 5 weeks of KD vs. SD significantly improves motor and sensory function, functional independence, and glycemic control in patients with acute SCI, and 2) Quantify serum biomarkers that are responsible for improvements in neurological recovery and functional independence. Our findings will uncover the molecular mechanisms by which targeted nutritional strategies can promote neurorecovery shortly after SCI and may lead to a safe, effective, simple, and economical intervention that improves health outcomes after SCI.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2023	OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE	1960 KENNY RD	COLUMBUS	OH	43210	FRANKLIN	USA	Nursing Research	000	5	11/20/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2023	OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE	1960 KENNY RD	COLUMBUS	OH	43210	FRANKLIN	USA	Nursing Research	000	5	11/24/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $366,624 )
2023	2023	OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE	1960 KENNY RD	COLUMBUS	OH	43210	FRANKLIN	USA	Nursing Research	002	5	5/16/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
2023	2023	OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE	1960 KENNY RD	COLUMBUS	OH	43210	FRANKLIN	USA	Nursing Research	001	5	4/27/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$366,624
2023	2023	OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THE	1960 KENNY RD	COLUMBUS	OH	43210	FRANKLIN	USA	Nursing Research	006	5	9/18/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$860,646
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	005	4	9/18/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$426,042
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	000	4	4/26/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2023	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	004	3	9/18/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$401,792
2023	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	003	2	9/18/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$32,812
														Subtotal = $366,624

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $426,042 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	001	4	3/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$426,042
2022	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	000	3	3/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $426,042

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $401,792 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	000	3	3/19/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$401,792
														Subtotal = $401,792

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $401,792 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	000	2	3/6/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$401,792
														Subtotal = $401,792

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $376,734 )
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Nursing Research	000	1	5/9/2019	NEW	$376,734
														Subtotal = $376,734

Grand Total All Awards = $1,972,984

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Evaluation of a Ketogenic Diet for Improvement of Neurological Recovery in Individuals with Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Award Number: R01NR016443

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer