Medium-chain triglycerides dietary supplement improves cognitive abilities in canine epilepsy

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Canine Cognition
• Nutritional Neuroscience

Background:

• Cognitive impairments (CI) are increasingly recognized in dogs with epilepsy.
• Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) show potential for cognitive enhancement and seizure control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term effects of MCT-oil supplementation on cognitive abilities in dogs with epilepsy.
• To assess MCT oil as a dietary intervention for cognitive dysfunction in a naturally occurring animal model.

Main Methods:

• A 6-month, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, controlled cross-over trial.
• Dogs received either MCT oil or a control oil as 9% of their total caloric intake for 3 months, followed by a switch.
• Cognitive function was assessed using noninvasive tests and a validated psychometric tool.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in spatial-working memory (P=0.008) with MCT oil supplementation.
• Problem-solving ability (P=0.048) and owner-reported trainability (P=0.041) were also significantly enhanced.
• These cognitive benefits were noted when comparing MCT oil supplementation to the control diet.

Conclusions:

• MCT-oil supplementation significantly improves cognitive function in dogs diagnosed with epilepsy.
• MCT oil represents a promising dietary strategy to address cognitive impairments associated with canine epilepsy.