Myristamide, a fatty acid amide found in Camembert cheese, improves cognitive function and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, offering potential insights into combating cognitive decline.
Study: Fatty acid amides present in Camembert cheese improved cognitive decline after oral administration in mice. Image credits: melei5/Shutterstock.com
In a recent article in Neuroscientific researchresearchers investigated how Camembert cheese and its fat content affect memory in mice.
Their findings indicate that myristamide, a compound found in cheese, may support improvements in brain functioning and memory by increasing levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Background
Fermented food products arise as a result of interactions between food and microbial enzymes, resulting in new compounds not present in natural foods. Traditionally used for preservation, these foods are now popular for their health benefits, with some experts suggesting they be part of dietary guidelines.
A major healthcare concern is the increasing incidence of cognitive decline and dementia, especially as the average age of people around the world increases. Studies show a link between type 2 diabetes and a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which leads to severe brain degeneration.
Early prevention of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial to prevent dementia. Researchers believe that regularly consuming certain nutrients found in everyday foods, such as dairy products, is linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Camembert cheese, made from milk fermented by white mold, may be one of the foods that increase a brain-boosting factor in older adults, potentially improving cognitive decline. However, the exact connections and mechanisms were unclear.
About the study
Researchers used male mice to investigate the impact of Camembert cheese and its fatty acid amides on cognitive function.
The mice were housed under controlled conditions, fed a standard diet for acclimatization, and split into two groups: one fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and the other fed HFD plus fatty acid amides. The treatments included cheese, myristamide, oleamide, stearamide and myristic acid, which were administered orally during the last three days of the study.
To assess cognitive function, object recognition tests (ORT) and object location tests (OLT) were performed. These tests measured the mice’s ability to recognize and remember objects and their locations after exposure.
Fatty acid amides in the cheese were quantified, after which ribonucleic acid (RNA) from the hippocampus was collected and analyzed to measure the expression of genes related to neurotrophic factors, which are important for brain health.
This comprehensive methodology allowed for an accurate evaluation of the cognitive effects of the cheese and its components in mice, and contributed to the understanding of their potential benefits for brain health.
Findings
Mice fed an HFD typically exhibit reduced cognitive function. However, when they were given 15 g/kg of cheese, their cognitive skills improved, as evidenced by longer approach times for novel objects in the ORT.
Researchers then focused on the fatty acid amides in camembert cheese. Myristamide at a dose of 10 mg/kg significantly improved cognitive performance in both the ORT and OLT, increasing the mice’s ability to recognize novel objects and locations.
Oleamide also showed similar positive effects. The cognitive improvements were dose-dependent, with higher doses of myristamide producing better results. In contrast, myristic acid, a nonamidated fatty acid, did not improve cognitive function, highlighting the importance of the amidation process.
Administration of myristamide led to increased expression of BDNF in the hippocampus, a crucial area for learning and memory. BDNF plays a key role in neuroprotection and synaptic formation, suggesting that myristamide contributes to improved cognitive function by promoting neurogenesis.
In summary, both Camembert cheese and myristamide have shown potential in attenuating cognitive decline associated with HFD intake, with myristamide also potentiating neurogenesis markers, particularly BDNF.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that Camembert cheese and myristamide may reduce memory problems caused by a high-fat diet and promote brain health. They highlight the cognitive benefits of myristamide, a fatty acid amide derived from the fermentation of camembert cheese, especially for mice on an HFD.
Myristamide improved cognitive function in a dose-dependent manner, while nonamidated myristic acid did not, indicating that amidation is crucial for cognitive benefits. Myristamide also increased BDNF levels in the hippocampus, known to be important for neurogenesis and memory.
The improvement in cognitive function of Camembert cheese can be attributed to myristamide, along with other fatty acid amides such as oleamide. Previous research supports the hypothesis that dairy peptides and fatty acid amides jointly improve cognitive function.
Human research has shown that Camembert cheese increases neurotrophic factors and reduces amyloid beta, a protein used to diagnose dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting it has potential for neuroprotection and anti-inflammatory action.
The study suggests that myristamide may send signals to the brain directly or via the vagus nerve, possibly involving cannabinoid receptor 1.
The findings highlight the cognitive benefits of fermented foods, with myristamide’s role in improving cognitive decline linked to its ability to enhance BDNF expression. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying these benefits.