It can be hard to prove how what you eat affects your risk of developing conditions like dementia, though better heart health is very likely to lessen your chances of developing such conditions.

Still, scientists have found some promising associations between things like coffee and memory retention. And recent research suggests that a compound found in some types of cheese might prevent cognitive decline, which is sometimes seen as a precursor to dementia. 

An article published in the journal Neuroscience Research suggested that camembert may be able to boost a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which preserves memory and brain function.

Why would camembert prevent dementia?

The researchers split male mice into two sets: a high-fat diet group, and those who ate a high-fat diet with fatty acid amides.

They did this so they could see whether the amides, which came from cheese,  would offset the reduced cognitive function that mice exhibited when they ate more fat.

The scientists examined the cognitive strength of the mice by testing whether they remembered certain objects and their locations.

They also looked at the RNA – or ribonucleic acid – a molecule that plays a vital role in brain function.

Eating cheese was found to improve the cognitive abilities of mice on a high-fat diet, and eating camembert helped even more. 

A compound in camembert called myristamide seemed to boost the production of something called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which strengthens your brain’s functionality and may help to preserve its memory. 

Does that mean eating camembert will prevent dementia?

No. This study used mice, not people. The paper does not claim to have proven that the cheese’s compound will lower dementia risk in humans.

Still, the findings could provide a jumping-off point for further research. As the scientists themselves say in their paper: “Further investigations, including longer-term studies and broader data analyses, will be needed.”