Potential therapeutic benefit of exogenous ketone ester administration in delirium: a narrative review

Critical Care volume 29, Article number: 424 (2025) Published: 07 October 2025

Abstract

Delirium is a prevalent neuropsychiatric syndrome during critical illness and is associated with prolonged hospitalization, increased mortality, and post-ICU cognitive decline. It is hypothesized to result from systemic inflammation, disrupted neurotransmission, and failure of cerebral energy metabolism. This narrative review highlights the key role of altered neurometabolism and neuroinflammation, which occurs due to peripheral inflammation, compromised blood-brain barrier integrity, and increased microglial glycolysis. These changes limit neuronal glucose uptake, leading to a brain energy crisis and consequently amplifying oxidative and inflammatory stress. We focus on studies of ICU delirium in the setting of acute critical illness with an emphasis on sepsis-associated encephalopathy, where mechanistic data derived from murine models are most robust. Ketones bypass the glycolytic bottleneck and enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle directly, activating signaling pathways that enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, bolster antioxidant defenses, modulate neurotransmission, and reduce inflammation. In models of neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injury, ketosis restores cerebral metabolism, reduces neuroinflammation, and enhances cognitive function. Additionally, preliminary human studies have demonstrated cognitive benefits and patient tolerance of ketone supplementation. Although data in the critically ill are limited, pilot studies suggest that enteral ketone supplementation can safely achieve therapeutic serum concentrations without worsening acidosis or hemodynamic instability. We hypothesize that exogenous ketone ester supplementation may support brain energy production by providing an alternative substrate for energy production, reducing microglial substrate competition, and mitigating the neuronal stress that precipitates delirium. In conclusion, exogenous ketone esters are a biologically plausible, rapidly acting metabolic intervention that warrants rigorous clinical evaluation as a novel strategy to prevent or treat delirium in those who are critically ill. However, randomized controlled trials are essential for verifying safety, determining optimal dosing, and assessing clinical effectiveness in the intensive care setting.