Tucking into a certain type of cheese could be more beneficial than you think, as a new study points to its potential in staving off Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. Published in , the research suggests that Camembert might just be a brain booster.

The study observed mice on a high-fat diet, which usually leads to diminished cognitive function, but once Camembert was introduced, their brain power saw an uptick. This improvement was attributed to myristamide, a compound found in the cheese.

While high-fat diets are often linked to health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer in humans, the myristamide in Camembert seems to support brain function and memory. It does so by boosting levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for brain protection and synapse formation.

Researchers believe that BDNF may enhance cognitive function by encouraging the growth of new neurons. In the study, a dose of 10mg of myristamide per kilogram of body weight "significantly improved cognitive performance" in mice, notably in recognizing new objects and places.

The findings suggest that Camembert cheese could counteract the cognitive decline associated with high-fat diets. The study underlined the positive effects of the cheese: "When orally administered Camembert cheese improved the cognitive decline induced by a high-fat diet."

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Researchers have made a tantalising claim: "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."

They note prior human studies that underscore Camembert's potential to cut down levels of the amyloid-beta protein, an Alzheimer’s and dementia marker, yet they also stress on more studies to "explore the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying these". Camembert cheese isn't just any food; it falls under the category of fermented foods, which are renowned for their health benefits.

Professor Tim Spector, alongside pushing his 30-plants-a-week challenge for 2025, is championing the movement to increase fermented food consumption too. He advocates for "everyone would be healthier if they had some fermented foods every day of their lives" and walks the talk by starting his day with kefir and regularly including kimchi, cheese, and homemade kombucha in his diet.