Medium-chain triglycerides dietary supplement improves cognitive abilities in canine epilepsy.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of MCT-oil supplementation on cognitive abilities in dogs with epilepsy.
Results Summary
MCT-oil supplementation significantly improved spatial-working memory, problem-solving ability, and owner-reported trainability compared to the control. The study suggests MCT supplementation may help address cognitive impairments associated with epilepsy.
Population
Dogs with epilepsy (n=29, with 18 completing cognitive testing).
Effective Dosage
9% of total caloric intake as MCT oil.
Duration
3 months per dietary phase (6 months total with cross-over).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) enriched diet | increase | cognition | aged dogs | - | has been demonstrated to improve | #1 |
medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) enriched diet | increase | seizure control | canine epilepsy | - | has been demonstrated to improve | #2 |
MCT-oil consumption | increase | spatial-working memory | dogs with epilepsy | P = 0.008 | significantly improved | #3 |
MCT-oil consumption | increase | problem-solving ability | dogs with epilepsy | P = 0.048 | significantly improved | #4 |
MCT-oil consumption | increase | owner-reported trainability | dogs with epilepsy | P = 0.041 | significantly improved | #5 |
MCT-oil DS | increase | cognition | dogs with epilepsy | - | improves | #6 |
OBJECTIVE: Cognitive impairments (CI) have recently been identified in canine epilepsy patients. A medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) enriched diet has been demonstrated to improve cognition in aged dogs and seizure control in canine epilepsy. This study evaluates the short-term effects of MCT-oil consumption on cognitive abilities in dogs with epilepsy, a naturally occurring animal model. METHODS: A 6-month multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled cross-over diet trial was conducted comparing dietary supplementation (DS) of MCT oil to a control oil. Allocation to dietary oil supplements, consisting of 9% total caloric intake, was block-randomized and supplemented into each dogs' diet for 3 months followed by a respective switch of DS-oil for a further 3 months. Noninvasive cognitive tests and a validated psychometric tool were utilized to evaluate cognitive function and perturbations associated with dietary intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-nine dogs completed the trial, of which 18 completed noninvasive cognitive testing. Spatial-working memory (P = 0.008), problem-solving ability (P = 0.048), and owner-reported trainability (P = 0.041) were significantly improved during MCT-oil supplementation compared to control-DS. SIGNIFICANCE: MCT-oil DS improves cognition in dogs with epilepsy when compared to a control-DS. MCT supplementation may represent a promising option to address CI associated with epilepsy.