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CompletedNCT02565966Updated Jan 18, 2020

Understanding the Mechanism(s) of Action on the Modified Atkins Diet for Epilepsy: Human Brain Tissues

An interventional study of Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) in Epilepsy, sponsored by NYU Langone Health. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-01-18.

Sponsored by NYU Langone Health · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
19
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

The purpose of this study is to better define the potential molecular and anti-inflammatory changes induced by the modified Atkins diet in the brains of patients with treatment resistant epilepsy. The investigators plan to enroll 30 subjects overall in this study to compare serologic and brain tissue specimens. At NYU, investigators plan to enroll 20 subjects; an estimated ten (10) subjects will consume a modified Atkins diet for 3-4 weeks prior to surgery and an estimated ten (10) subjects will consume a non-modified, higher carbohydrate diet. Investigators at Saint Barnabas Medical Center plan to enroll 10 subjects in this study to compare serologic and brain tissue specimens. Approximately five (5) subjects will consume a modified Atkins diet for 3-4 weeks prior to surgery and five (5) subjects will consume a non-modified, higher carbohydrate diet. Blood and brain tissue specimens will be obtained at the time of surgery and will be compared. The goal of this study is to identify whether or not there are changes in neuroinflammation or neuroexcitability in the human brain induced by the modified Atkins diet.

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Conditions studied

  • Epilepsy

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03

In context

Epilepsy

1,804 studies on the registry are indexed under Epilepsy; 417 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 19 is below the median of 50 across 1,205 interventional studies indexed under Epilepsy.

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Lead sponsor

NYU Langone Health is the lead sponsor of 1,391 studies on the registry; 254 are open to participants now.

Of its 227 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 191 (84%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Patients scheduled for epilepsy surgery at New York Langone Medical Center or St Barnabas Medical Center will be eligible for enrollment.

  • Patient is at least 18 years of age
  • Patient is willing to participate by complying with the modified Atkins diet 3 - 4 weeks prior to surgery and maintain a thorough food diary (Intervention study group) or to continue their usual diet and maintain a thorough food diary (Nonintervention study group)
  • Patient/ his/her parent, caregiver, or health care proxy is willing and able to provide consent or assent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients under the age of 18 will be excluded
  • Patients in whom a two-stage surgery is planned without any resection of brain tissue during the initial craniotomy
  • Patients unwilling to comply with modified Atkins diet 3 -4 weeks prior to surgery or unwilling to maintain a thorough food diary will be excluded.
  • Patients who are currently on an Atkins or Low Glycemic Index Diet will not be eligible for inclusion in the nonintervention group.
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
19 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Modified Atkins Diet (MAD)

    Other: Modified Atkins Diet (MAD)

  • No intervention
    Normal Diet

    Those patients in the normal diet (no intervention) group will also meet with the epilepsy center nutritionist to review the food diary and completion of this document, similar to those in the intervention (MAD) group. No dietary restrictions will be made in this group.

Interventions

  • OtherModified Atkins Diet (MAD)

    For those in the MAD intervention group, the dietitian trains the patient and family in the preparation and management of this specialized therapy including sick-day guidelines, meal planning, carbohydrate counting and trouble-shooting. Written and verbal education including, but not limited to: recipes, education materials, sample meal plans and carbohydrate counters are provided to the patient during the initial education session. The caregiver/patient is trained in the outpatient setting and the diet is implemented at home with as much email/phone support from the dietician and ketogenic team as the patient needs to successfully maintain the diet. Medications are all changed over to the lowest carbohydrate forms to eliminate excess carbohydrate intake and all patients are started on vitamin supplements to maintain adequate nutrition.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Neuroinflammation markers in blood

    As measured by level of cytokines IL-6, TNF alpha, and C-reactive protein in blood samples

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  2. Metabolism

    As measured by level of fasting lipid profile, acylcarnitine profile, and beta-hydroxybutyrate in blood

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  3. Neuroinflammation markers in brain tissue

    As measured by level of cytokines, IL6, TNF alpha, and microglial activation and proliferation in brain tissue obtained during durgery

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  4. Levels of leptin in brain tissue

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  5. Levels of adenosine in brain tissue

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  6. Levels of adenosine kinase in brain tissue

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  7. Levels of adenosite-1 (A1) receptors in brain tissue

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

  8. Levels of enzymes that synthesize glutamate and GABA

    As measured in brain tissue obtained during surgery

    Time frame: At time of surgery (approximately 3-4 weeks after randomization)

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Study locations

2 sites
  • Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Saint Barnabas
    Livingston, New Jersey 07039, United States
  • NYU Langone Epilepsy Center
    New York, New York 10016, United States
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 18, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02565966
Lead sponsor
NYU Langone Health
Collaborators
St. Barnabas Medical Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 1, 2015
Start date
Jun 2014
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2019
Completion
Oct 1, 2019
Last update
Jan 18, 2020

Study contacts

Orrin Devinsky, MD
principal investigator · NYU Langone Epilepsy Center
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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