THE ESSENTIAL
- A study shows that Camembert could improve memory and learning thanks to compounds produced during its fermentation, such as myristamide.
- This compound, rare in other cheeses, acts on key proteins linked to brain cell regeneration.
- Tests on mice revealed that those fed Camembert or myristamide improved their object recognition and spatial memory.
What if your favorite cheese was also an ally for your brain health? A new study, published in the journal Neuroscience Researchsuggests that Camembert could improve memory and learning, at least in mice. This discovery is based on the benefits of the compounds produced during its fermentation. Good news for lovers of this iconic cheese, but with nuances.
Key compounds for cognitive health
Camembert owes its taste and texture to a specific mushroom, Penicillium camemberti. The latter not only improves taste pleasure: it also produces fatty acid amides such as myristamide, rare in other cheeses. These compounds are attracting the interest of researchers for their potential effects on neurotrophic factors, proteins essential for the growth and regeneration of brain cells.
To assess these cognitive benefits, male mice were fed Camembert cheese, myristamide, or similar compounds daily for a week. Their memory was then tested using two behavioral exercises: the object recognition test and the object location test. These tools make it possible to measure, respectively, recognition memory, spatial memory and learning in animals
The results were striking: mice fed Camembert showed better object recognition, spending more time exploring an unfamiliar object. Myristamide, meanwhile, improved both object recognition and localization, highlighting its overall impact on cognitive functions.
Promises to be confirmed in humans
So, should you rush for Camembert to boost your neurons? Not so fast because, despite these encouraging results, the study has a major limitation: it was carried out only on mice. Although previous work has already established a link between the consumption of Camembert and cognitive benefits in the elderly, further studies are needed to confirm whether these effects apply to humans. The exact role of fatty acid amides in particular deserves to be clarified.
Health
