Myristamide, a fatty acid amide found in Camembert cheese, enhances 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 Credit: melei5/Shutterstock.com
In a recent article in Neuroscience Research, researchers examined how Camembert cheese and its fat content affect memory in mice.
Their findings indicate that myristamide, a compound found in the cheese, may support improvements in brain functioning and memory by boosting levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Background
Fermented food products are created due to interactions between food and microbial enzymes, resulting in new compounds not present in natural food items. Traditionally used for preservation, these foods are now popular for their health benefits, with some experts suggesting they be part of dietary guidelines.
One major health concern is the increasing occurrence 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.
Preventing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) early is crucial to avoid dementia. Researchers believe that consuming certain nutrients found in everyday foods regularly, like dairy products, is linked to reduced Alzheimer's risk.
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 compounds 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 given HFD plus fatty acid amides. The treatments included cheese, myristamide, oleamide, stearamide, and myristic acid, which were administered orally for 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 ensured accurate evaluation of the cognitive effects of the cheese and its components in mice, contributing to understanding their potential benefits for brain health.
Findings
Mice fed an HFD typically exhibit reduced cognitive function. However, when administered 15 g/kg of the cheese, their cognitive abilities improved, as shown by increased approach times to 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, enhancing the mice’s ability to recognize new objects and locations.
Oleamide also showed similar positive effects. The cognitive improvements were dose-dependent, with higher doses of myristamide yielding better results. In contrast, myristic acid, a non-amidated fatty acid, did not improve cognitive function, highlighting the importance of the amidation process.
Myristamide administration led to increased expression of BDNF in the hippocampus, a critical 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 demonstrated potential in mitigating cognitive decline associated with HFD intake, with myristamide also enhancing neurogenesis markers, particularly BDNF.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that Camembert cheese and myristamide can 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 Camembert cheese fermentation, particularly for mice on an HFD.
Myristamide improved cognitive function in a dose-dependent manner, while non-amidated myristic acid did not, indicating that amidation is crucial for cognitive benefits. Myristamide also increased hippocampal BDNF levels, which are known to be important for neurogenesis and memory.
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.
In human studies, Camembert cheese has been shown to increase neurotrophic factors and reduce amyloid-beta, a protein used to diagnose dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting its potential for neuroprotection and anti-inflammation.
The study suggests that myristamide may signal the brain either directly or via the vagus nerve, possibly involving cannabinoid receptor 1.
The findings emphasize 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 explore the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying these benefits.
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