Yuanlong Pan
Nestle Purina Research, USA
Title: Optimal Nutrition for Healthy Brain Aging: What We Have Learned from Our Pets
Biography
Biography: Yuanlong Pan
Abstract
Aging has adverse effects on all tissues and organs in humans and animals including dogs and cats. Just like in humans, some of the senior dogs and cats eventually develop cognitive impairment and dementia called cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). Since CDS is not a curable disease, our research has been focused on nutritional solutions that promote healthy brain aging in dogs and cats for the past 15 years. We have developed two solutions to enhance cognitive functions in dogs and cats. The first approach is to address the reduced ability of brain cells to utilize glucose as energy by providing medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), and we have confirmed that MCTs do enhance cognition in aging dogs. The second solution is to minimize known risk factors associated with brain aging. Since there are multiple risk factors, we have developed a nutrient blend and demonstrated its cognition-enhancing benefits in middle-aged and aging cats. In summary, our research shows that optimal nutrition can enhance cognitive functions in healthy aging dogs and cats. What we have learned from pets may be able to facilitate the development of nutritional and therapeutic solutions for people.