BU Research Blog

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 

Raysa El Zein, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Feasibility study: effect of vegetable oil on memory in older-adults and those with MCI.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Associations between diet and cognitive impairments in older-adults have been demonstrated in some studies. Inducing ketosis to provide an alternative energy source (ketones) by modifying the amount and type of dietary fat could reduce neuro-degeneration in older-adults. The aim of this feasibility study was to use a dietary intervention to investigate the effect of coconut oil intake (compared with sunflower oil) on cognition and quality of life in older-adults and those with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The study followed a randomized clinical trial design and participants were allocated either coconut oil or sunflower oil for 6 months. To date, data has been collected from 18 participants using questionnaires, interviews, food records, cognitive tests and blood ketone tests. Preliminary results from this study demonstrate the ability of participants to adhere to the dietary intervention and the potential effect of coconut oil intake in improving verbal memory in older-adults and those with MCI.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.