(NaturalNews) Oleic acids contained in fatty foods may help lead to improved memory, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of California-Irvine and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study was conducted on a specific oleic acid known as oleoylethanolamide (OEA). Previous research has suggested that OEA may help the body regulate weight and feeding behavior by reducing appetite, lowering levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and leading to weight loss.

In the current study, researchers fed OEA to rats and measured their performance on two tests of memory, one involving learning a maze and the other involving avoiding an unpleasant experience. They found that mice performed significantly better at both memory tasks after consuming OEA. Some mice were then given a drug that blocked their bodies’ ability to use OEA. These mice immediately began to perform more poorly on the memory tests.

“By helping mammals remember where and when they have eaten a fatty meal, OEA’s memory-enhancing activity seems to have been an important evolutionary tool for early humans and other animals,” said researcher Daniele Piomelli. “Remembering the location and context of a fatty meal was probably an important survival mechanism for early humans.”

The researchers were able to determine that the memory-enhancing effects of OEA come, at least in part, from its action on the part of the brain known as the amygdala. The amygdala plays a role in memories involving emotions.

Experts cautioned that people should not take this study as a license to consume unlimited amounts of fat.

“While this research suggests that fatty foods could help in the formation of longer term memories, a healthy balanced diet is still the best advice for reducing the risk of developing dementia,” said Rebecca Wood of the Alzheimer’s Trust.

Some research has also suggested that OEA might also play a role in the development of long-term food cravings.