The Ketogenic Diets in Genetic Generalized Epilepsy Syndromes

Abstract

Abstract This chapter reviews the evidence for the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet and related therapies in idiopathic (genetic) generalized epilepsy. The discussion focuses chiefly on the two most common syndromes—childhood absence epilepsy and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Perhaps because the proportion of patients with genetic generalized epilepsy that have pharmacoresistant seizures is lower than for other epilepsy types, they constitute a small percentage of patients treated with the ketogenic diet and related therapies. However, for patients with genetic generalized epilepsy who are pharmacoresistant, limited evidence shows that the ketogenic diet can be an effective therapy.