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Dietary Fatty Acids and Brain Function in Older Adults

This study is looking at how different types of fats in your diet might affect your brain function, specifically your working memory, if you're an older adult. Researchers will provide all your food for two one-week periods. One diet will be high in hazelnut oil (High Oleic Acid Diet), and the other will include a mix of palm, peanut, and olive oils (High Palmitic Acid Diet). They will measure your working memory performance and how your brain activates and connects during these tasks after each diet. You can join if you are between 65 and 75 years old, have normal thinking abilities, and a healthy body mass index (BMI between 20-40 kg/m2). The study plans to enroll 60 participants, but its current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This is a crossover study involving 60 participants, where you will try two different diets in a random order, each for one week, with a low-fat control diet before each.
What's involved
You will follow two specific diets for one week each, with a one-week low-fat control diet before each, for a total of four weeks. All food and drink (except water) will be provided.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your working memory will be measured after 7 days of each diet.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06192407

Fatty Acid Modulation of Brain Function in Older Adults

Recruiting
NAAges 65–75InterventionalBasic science
University of Vermont
~60 participants
Updated 2025-09-17 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:High Oleic Acid DietHigh Palmitic Acid Diet

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Working Memory Performance
Measured over after 7 days of each diet
+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Aging

Explore related trials

Healthy

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Vermont1

Study leadership

  • Julie Dumas, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Vermont
  • Craig L Kien, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Vermont

Who to contact

Julie Dumas, Ph.D.
[email protected]
1(802)847-2523
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Men and women age range 65-75 years
Normal cognition (see Research Strategy for details on cognitive assessments)
"Healthy" (body mass index (BMI) of 20-40 kg/m2)

Exclusion

Significant cognitive or behavioral impairment (see Research Strategy for testing and exclusions) or pharmacological treatment for this (e.g. antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and sedative medications).
Hormone replacement therapy, past 3 months.
Hyper-androgenic condition.
HbA1C≥7.5% and or Fasting plasma glucose concentration ≥130 mg/dL.
Type 2 Diabetes if receiving any other therapy than metformin.
Use of nicotine or ingestion of caffeine or alcohol during the study.
Habitual fat intake \< 25% of kcal or strict vegetarian diet.
Sleep apnea requiring continuous positive airway pressure at night.
Lung, cardiac (heart failure or its treatment), liver disease, renal disease, cancer, and any other medical disorder known or thought to cause inflammation or abnormalities of cognition
Actively training for an athletic event or participating in competitive sports (such as league play or tournaments)
Intolerance or allergy to any of the food provided in the study.

What this trial measures

  • Working Memory Performanceafter 7 days of each diet

    Accuracy for performance on the Nback working memory test during fMRI

  • Working Memory Brain Activationafter 7 days of each diet

    Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) activation during the Nback working memory test during fMRI

  • Working Memory Brain Functional Connectivityafter 7 days of each diet

    BOLD functional connectivity during resting state fMRI