New study found eating #Camembert #cheese could improve memory & protect the #brain during #aging (at least in mice)..
Camembert uses Penicillium camemberti in its fermentation, which produces fatty acid amides that are rarely found in other cheeses.
A new study has found that eating Camembert could improve your memory and learning ability, and protect your brain as you age.
The study, published in scientific journal Neuroscience Research, found that the chemicals produced during the cheese’s fermentation process could improve learning ability and memory.
Fermentation compounds
Camembert uses the white mold (a species of fungus) called ‘Penicillium camemberti’ in its fermentation. This produces fatty acid amides such as myristamide, which are rarely found in other cheeses or fermentation processes.
These compounds have been increasingly recognised for their potential positive impact on brain health, and more specifically, on ‘neurotrophic factors’. These are the proteins that support the growth, repair and formation of brain cells, and are particularly important as the brain ages.
Object tests
The study researchers conducted experiments on male mice divided into groups, and fed them daily for a week with Camembert, myristamide, or other similar compounds (in comparable doses). The mice then underwent two behavioural tests: the object recognition test (ORT) and the object localisation test (OLT).
These tests are generally used to assess memory and learning in animals.
The ORT placed the mice in an open space containing two objects. Then, one of the familiar objects was replaced by an unknown object. The researchers measured the time spent by the mice discovering the new object. Greater exploration indicates better recognition memory.
In the OLT, the position of an object was changed. The time spent searching for the new location was recorded to assess spatial memory.
The researchers were able to conclude that the mice fed with Camembert and myristamide had improved cognitive function. Higher doses of the compounds improved results.
For example, in the ORT, the mice fed Camembert spent more time exploring the new object. Mice treated with myristamide performed better on both the ORT and the OLT, suggesting that this compound improved both recognition and memory.
The researchers also found that myristamide increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain, which contributes to growth, memory, and protection of the organ.
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