scholarly journals An fMRI Investigation into the Effects of Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Cognitive Function in Elderly Adults: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2134
Author(s):  
Yukihito Yomogida ◽  
Junko Matsuo ◽  
Ikki Ishida ◽  
Miho Ota ◽  
Kentaro Nakamura ◽  
...  

Evidence suggests that oral intake of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which promote the production of ketone bodies, may improve cognitive functions in elderly people; however, the underlying brain mechanisms remain elusive. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive improvement accompanies physiological changes in the brain and reflects the use of ketone bodies as an extra energy source. To this end, by using functional magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals were measured while 20 healthy elderly subjects (14 females and 6 males; mean age: 65.7 ± 3.9 years) were engaged in executive function tasks (N-back and Go-Nogo) after ingesting a single MCT meal (Ketonformula®) or placebo meal in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled design (UMIN000031539). Morphological characteristics of the brain were also examined in relation to the effects of an MCT meal. The MCT meal improved N-back task performance, and this was prominent in subjects who had reduced grey matter volume in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a region known to promote executive functions. When the participants were dichotomized into high/low level groups of global cognitive function at baseline, the high group showed improved N-back task performance, while the low group showed improved Go-Nogo task performance. This was accompanied by decreased BOLD signals in the DLPFC, indicative of the consumption of ketone bodies as an extra energy source.

Author(s):  
Kui Xu ◽  
Joseph C. LaManna ◽  
Michelle A. Puchowicz

The brain is normally completely dependent on glucose, but is capable of using ketones as an alternate energy source, as occurs with prolonged starvation or chronic feeding of a ketogenic diet. Research has shown that ketosis is neuroprotective against ischemic insults in rodents. This review focuses on investigating the mechanistic links to neuroprotection by ketosis in the aged. Recovery from stroke and other pathophysiological conditions in the aged is challenging. Cerebral metabolic rate for glucose, cerebral blood flow, and the defenses against oxidative stress are known to decline with age, suggesting dysfunction of the neurovascular unit. One mechanism of neuroprotection by ketosis involves succinate-induced stabilization of hypoxic inducible factor-1alpha (HIF1α‎) and its downstream effects on intermediary metabolism. The chapter hypothesizes that ketone bodies play a role in the restoration of energy balance (stabilization of ATP supply) and act as signaling molecules through the up-regulation of salvation pathways targeted by HIF1α‎.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Poff ◽  
Andrew Koutnik ◽  
Sara Moss ◽  
Sahith Mandala ◽  
Dominic D'Agostino

Abstract Objectives 70.7% of Americans over 20 years of age are overweight or obese. Currently, the main strategy for weight loss is caloric restriction. Ketone bodies have been shown to facilitate voluntary caloric restriction through altering the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin. However, these non-toxic ketone bodies have not been evaluated as weight loss supplements. C57BL6J mice were used to determine the weight loss efficacy of exogenous ketones by adding synthetic (R/S 1,3-Butanediol Acetoacetate Diester and 1,3-Butanediol) and natural (Beta-hydroxybutyrate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate + Medium Chain Triglycerides) ketogenic agents to standard rodent chow ab-libitum. Methods Six groups (R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester, 1,3-butanediol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides, caloric restriction, standard diet ad-libitum) were housed 2–5 animals per cage and monitored to ensure appropriate acclimation prior to intervention. Mice were treated for two weeks with ketogenic agents, adjusting % of agent daily to ensure 20% weight loss was achieved. Results All ketogenic agents induced weight loss and voluntary caloric restriction. Weight loss for beta-hydroxybutyrate and beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides was explained by caloric restriction alone. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester induced weight loss at lower dosages which could not be explained by caloric restriction alone. Conclusions Taken together, all ketogenic agents may assist in weight loss. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester appears to be a more potent non-toxic ketogenic supplement that facilitates weight loss via both voluntary caloric restriction and caloric restriction-independent mechanisms. Future studies should explore caloric-restriction independent weight loss mechanisms of R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester. Funding Sources Disruptive Nutrition.


Author(s):  
Stephen C. Cunnane ◽  
Alexandre Courchesne-Loyer ◽  
Valerie St-Pierre ◽  
Camille Vandenberghe ◽  
Etienne Croteau ◽  
...  

Brain glucose uptake is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A key question is whether cognitive decline could be delayed if this defect were at least partly corrected or bypassed. Ketones (or ketone bodies) such as beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate are the brain’s main alternative fuels. Several studies have shown that in mild-to-moderate AD, brain ketone uptake is similar to that of healthy age-matched controls. Published clinical trials show that increasing ketone availability to the brain via nutritional ketosis has modest benefits on cognitive outcomes in mild-to-moderate AD and in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional ketosis can be safely achieved by a high-fat ketogenic diet or supplements providing medium chain triglycerides. Given the acute dependence of the brain on its energy supply and the ineffectiveness of current therapeutic strategies for AD consideration be given to correcting the underlying problem of deteriorating brain fuel supply during aging.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theng Choon Ooi ◽  
Asheila Meramat ◽  
Nor Fadilah Rajab ◽  
Suzana Shahar ◽  
Intan Safinar Ismail ◽  
...  

Intermittent fasting (IF) refers to various dietary regimens that cycle between a period of non-fasting and a period of total fasting. This study aimed to determine the effects of IF on cognitive function among elderly individuals who practice IF who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 99 elderly subjects with MCI of Malay ethnicity without any terminal illness were recruited from a larger cohort study, LRGS TUA. The subjects were divided into three groups, comprising those who were regularly practicing IF (r-IF), irregularly practicing IF (i-IF), and non-fasters (n-IF). Upon 36 months of follow-up, more MCI subjects in the r-IF group reverted to successful aging with no cognitive impairment and diseases (24.3%) compared to those in i-IF (14.2%) and n-IF groups (3.7%). The r-IF group’s subjects exhibited significant increment in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduction in body weight, levels of insulin, fasting blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and DNA damage. Moreover, metabolomics analysis showed that IF may modulate cognitive function via various metabolite pathways, including the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, butanoate metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways. Overall, the MCI-afflicted older adults who practiced IF regularly had better cognitive scores and reverted to better cognitive function at 36 months follow-up.


1995 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 756-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Jeukendrup ◽  
W. H. Saris ◽  
P. Schrauwen ◽  
F. Brouns ◽  
A. J. Wagenmakers

The present study examined the metabolic response to medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) ingestion with or without carbohydrates (CHOs). Eight well-trained athletes cycled 4 x 180 min at 50% maximal work rate (57% maximal O2 consumption). Subjects drank a bolus of 4 ml/kg at the start and 2 ml/kg every 20 min during exercise of either a 15% (214 g) CHO solution (CHO trial), an equicaloric 149 g CHO-29 g MCT suspension (CHO+MCT trial), 214 g CHO [high CHO (HCHO)]-29 g MCT suspension (HCHO+MCT trial) or 29 g MCT solution (MCT trial). Exogenous MCT oxidation was measured by adding a [1,1,1–13C]trioctanoate tracer to the MCT oil. 13CO2 enrichment of breath samples were measured every 15 min. During the second hour (60- to 120-min period), the amount of MCT oxidized was 72% of the amount ingested during the CHO+MCT trial, whereas during the MCT trial only 33% was oxidized. The rate of MCT oxidation increased more rapidly during the HCHO+MCT and CHO+MCT trials compared with the MCT trial, yet in all three cases the oxidation rate stabilized at 0.12 g/min during 120–180 min of exercise. It is concluded that more MCTs are oxidized when ingested in combination with CHOs. Data do confirm the hypothesis that oral MCTs might serve as an energy source in addition to glucose during exercise because the metabolic availability of MCTs was high during the last hour of exercise, with oxidation rates being approximately 70% of the ingestion rate.


1985 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 371A-371A
Author(s):  
Paul Y K Wu ◽  
John Edmond ◽  
Nancy Auestad ◽  
Savitri Rambatla

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anna Baumeister ◽  
Joachim Gardemann ◽  
Manfred Fobker ◽  
Verena Spiegler ◽  
Tobias Fischer

Background. Ketone bodies are a highly relevant topic in nutrition and medicine. The influence of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) on ketogenesis is well known and has been successfully used in ketogenic diets for many years. Nevertheless, the effects of MCTs and coconut oil on the production of ketone bodies have only partially been investigated. Furthermore, the increased mobilisation of free fatty acids and release of catabolic hormones by caffeine suggest an influence of caffeine on ketogenesis. Methods. In a controlled, double-blind intervention study, seven young healthy subjects received 10 mL of tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), C8/C10 (50% C8, 50% C10), or coconut oil with or without 150 mg of caffeine, in 250 mL of decaffeinated coffee, over ten interventions. At baseline and after every 40 minutes, for 4 h, ßHB and glucose in capillary blood as well as caffeine in saliva were measured. Furthermore, questionnaires were used to survey sensory properties, side effects, and awareness of hunger and satiety. Results. The interventions with caffeine caused an increase in ßHB levels—in particular, the interventions with C8 highly impacted ketogenesis. The effect decreased with increased chain lengths. All interventions showed a continuous increase in hunger and diminishing satiety. Mild side effects (total = 12) occurred during the interventions. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated an influence of caffeine and MCT on ketogenesis. The addition of caffeine showed an additive effect on the ketogenic potential of MCT and coconut oil. C8 showed the highest ketogenicity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yafei Yuan ◽  
Guanghao Li ◽  
Haoran Ren ◽  
Wei Chen

Acting as a brain stimulant, coffee resulted in heightening alertness, keeping arousal, improving executive speed, maintaining vigilance, and promoting memory, which are associated with attention, mood, and cognitive function. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a noninvasive optical method to monitor brain activity by measuring the absorption of the near-infrared light through the intact skull. This study is aimed at acquiring brain activation during executing task performance. The aim is to explore the effect of coffee on cognitive function by the fNIRS neuroimaging method, particularly on the prefrontal cortex regions. The behavioral experimental results on 31 healthy subjects with a Stroop task indicate that coffee can easily and effectively modulate the execute task performance by feedback information of the response time and accuracy rate. The findings of fNIRS showed that apparent hemodynamic changes were detected in the bilateral VLPFC regions and the brain activation regions varied with different coffee conditions.


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