Neuronal decanoic acid oxidation is markedly lower than that of octanoic acid: A mechanistic insight into the medium-chain triglyceride ketogenic diet

摘要

Objective: The medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diet contains both octanoic (C8) and decanoic (C10) acids. The diet is an effective treatment for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Although the exact mechanism for its efficacy is not known, it is emerging that C10, but not C8, interacts with targets that can explain antiseizure effects, for example, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-c (eliciting mitochondrial biogenesis and increased antioxidant status) and the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy- 5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor. For such effects to occur, significant concentrations of C10 are likely to be required in the brain.