Patent ID: 8101653

Claim:
A method of treating a patient for memory loss associated with aging comprising administering to that patient a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of D-β-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetate, or a metabolic precursor or physiologically acceptable salt of D-β-hydroxybutyric acid or acetoacetate, such as to elevate the patient's blood levels of ketone bodies, defined as the sum total of D-β-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetate, to a therapeutic level effective to treat the disorder, wherein the patient's blood level is elevated to from 0.3 mM to 20 mM, wherein the metabolic precursor is selected from the group consisting of: (i) oligomers of D-β-hydroxybutyric acid, (ii) esters of D-β-hydroxybutyric acid or its oligomers with monohydric, dihydric or trihydric alcohols or with acetoacetate, (iii) esters of acetoacetate with monohydric, dihydric or trihydric alcohols, wherein the monohydric, dihydric or trihydric alcohols in (ii) and (iii) are selected from the group C1-C4 alkyl alcohols, (R)-1,3-butandiol and glycerol.