title: Coconut oil attenuates the effects of amyloid-β on cortical neurons in vitro.
abstract: Dietary supplementation has been studied as an approach to ameliorating deficits associated with aging and neurodegeneration. We undertook this pilot study to investigate the effects of coconut oil supplementation directly on cortical neurons treated with amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in vitro. Our results indicate that neuron survival in cultures co-treated with coconut oil and Aβ is rescued compared to cultures exposed only to Aβ. Coconut oil co-treatment also attenuates Aβ-induced mitochondrial alterations. The results of this pilot study provide a basis for further investigation of the effects of coconut oil, or its constituents, on neuronal survival focusing on mechanisms that may be involved.
authors.affiliation: Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nafar
authors.affiliation: Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mearow
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000074263:Coconut Oil; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074263:Coconut Oil
keywords: Amyloid; Coconut oil; cortical neurons