Alzheimer' s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases with 10% of elders aged 65 and over who exhibit dementia caused by AD. The disease has a long incubation period before grave symptoms manifest. This increases the difficulty for traditional medication to alleviate symptoms as often the causes for the disease have been accumula

for long periods of time. AD is believed to be caused by a protein called Amyloid-beta which aggregates and forms plaques around the axons of the neurons causing neurodegeneration. Inflammation caused by these plaques can lead to an increase in inflammation and a decrease in the brain's ability to function effectively. AD has been linked to an inefficient use of glucose by the brain as an energy source, leading to delayed reaction time, kinesthetic awareness, and connectivity above neurodegeneration making people suffering from AD susceptible to injury. Ketones have been linked as being an effective alternative energy source for the brain. CL1476 C. elegans, are transgenic C.elegans that produce low levels of Amyloid-Beta protein and paralyse when the levels are comparable to those of a patient suffering from AD.

The purpose of this project is to determine the effectiveness of coconut oil, lauric acid, and oleic acid in decreasing the production of Amyloid-Beta toxicity. If coconut oil, lauric acid, and oleic acid decrease the levels of Amyloid-beta toxicity, then the CL1476 C. elegans will display a decrease in paralysis.

CL1476 C. elegans were used to test coconut oil, lauric acid, and oleic acid through dietary exposure. These agents are lipids and should promote ketone body production and decrease paralysis in CL1476 C. elegans.

Coconut oil and oleic acid demonstrated a significant decrease in paralysis, indicating that they are effective agents in decreasing Amyloid-beta production. Oleic acid was comparatively the most effective agent when compared to the control, lauric acid, and oleic acid group.

The effects of high levels of coconut oil and oleic acid on the cardiovascular system should be tested as high levels of lipids in diet could cause damage, Oleic acid however has been linked to a decrease in blood lipids, so it should not cause any health concerns.