Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs.
The present study focused on the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG (MCT) will improve cognitive function in aged dogs by providing the brain with energy in the form of ketones. Aged Beagle dogs were subjected to a baseline battery of cognitive tests, which were used to establish cognitively equivalent control or treatment groups. The dogs in the treatment group were maintained on a diet supplemented with 5.5 % MCT. After an initial wash-in period, all the dogs were tested with a battery of cognitive test protocols, which assessed sequentially landmark discrimination learning ability, egocentric visuospatial function and attention. The groups were maintained on the diets for 8 months. The MCT-supplemented group showed significantly better performance in most of the test protocols than the control group. The group differences also varied as a function of task difficulty, with the more difficult task showing greater supplementation effects than the easier tasks. The group given the MCT supplement showed significantly elevated levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone body. These results indicate, first, that long-term supplementation with MCT can have cognition-improving effects, and second, that MCT supplementation increases circulating levels of ketones. The results support the hypothesis that brain function of aged dogs can be improved by MCT supplementation, which provides the brain with an alternative energy source.
Nestlé Purina Research, St Louis, MO 63164, USA. yuanlong.pan@rdmo.nestle.com
Yuanlong
Y
Pan
Brian
B
Larson
Joseph A
JA
Araujo
Winnie
W
Lau
Christina
C
de Rivera
Ruben
R
Santana
Asa
A
Gore
Norton W
NW
Milgram
D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000097:blood; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007657:Ketone Bodies; D014280:Triglycerides; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid