Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline could be kept at bay by getting more Camembert cheese in your diet, a new study seems to suggest. Published in Neuroscience Research, the study revealed the gooey delicacy could have a surprising amount of brain-boosting potential.
Mice in the study that were fed a high-fat diet typically had a reduced cognitive function but as soon as Camembert cheese was added to their diet, these functions improved. This was put down to the myristamide content in the cheese.
High-fat diets in humans have been flagged for their links to other conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Myristamide compounds in the study supported brain function and memory by improving the amount of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein known as BDNF.
This protein plays a critical role in protecting the brain and synapse formation, with researchers suggesting it may improve cognitive function by promoting the creation of new neurons in the brain. A myristamide dose of 10mg per kilogram “significantly improved cognitive performance” in the mice, enhancing their ability to recognise new objects and locations.
The compound and the cheese could “mitigate cognitive decline” specifically associated with high-fat diets. The study highlighted: “When orally administered Camembert cheese improved the cognitive decline induced by a high-fat diet.”
Researchers shared: “The improvement in cognitive function from Camembert cheese might be attributed to myristamide, along with other fatty acid amides like oleamide. Prior research supports the hypothesis that dairy peptides and fatty acid amides collectively enhance cognitive function.”
The study noted previous human studies have shown Camembert’s ability to reduce the amyloid-beta protein, which is used to diagnose dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. However, it also highlighted the need for further research to “explore the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying these”.
Camembert is technically a fermented food which is widely praised for the variety of health benefits it offers due to the active ingredients. Professor Tim Spector, alongside his 30-plants-a-week challenge, has been one of the frontrunners urging people to up their fermented food intake.
The nutrition expert has previously shared his beliefs that “everyone would be healthier if they had some fermented foods every day of their lives”. The professor himself lives by this advice, taking a shot of kefir every morning and incorporating other fermented items like kimchi, cheese and home-brewed kombucha into his weekly diet.