Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
4-26-2019
Year of Publication
2019
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Robin L. Cooper
Abstract
The ketogenic diet is commonly used to control epilepsy, especially in cases when medications cannot. The diet typically consists of high fat, low carb, and adequate protein and produces a metabolite called acetoacetate. Seizure activity is characterized by glutamate excitotoxicity and therefore glutamate regulation is a point of research for control of these disorders. Acetoacetate is heavily implicated as the primary molecule responsible for decreasing glutamate in the synapse; it is believed that acetoacetate interferes with the transport of glutamate into the synaptic vesicles. The effects on synaptic transmission at glutamatergic synapses was studied in relation to the ketogenic diet in Drosophila larvae for this thesis. Various measures of synaptic transmission were conducted. Acetoacetate decreased neurotransmission at the synapse. It was also found that acetoacetate has direct effects on the postsynaptic membrane, which indicates a novel role for the metabolite.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2019.183
Recommended Citation
Stanback, Alexandra Elizabeth, "The Effects of a Ketone Body on Synaptic Transmission" (2019). Theses and Dissertations--Biology. 57.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/biology_etds/57
Included in
Cell Biology Commons, Cellular and Molecular Physiology Commons, Integrative Biology Commons, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Commons, Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons
