Effects of milk phospholipid on memory and psychological stress response

Phosphatidylserine (PS) extracted from both bovine cortex and soya beans has been previously reported to positively affect cognitive functioning, mood, and the capacity to cope with stress. The present paper aims to investigate whether the daily intake of phospholipid concentrate (PL) rich in phosphatidylserine (PS) and sphingomyelin (SM) has similar beneficial effects on working memory, allostastic load and the acute stress response.

A total of 46 healthy men (average 41.5 years) received either placebo or 13.5 g per day PL over a three‐week period. On the 21st day of PL intake, subjects' working memory performance and their psychological and endocrine responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were tested.

Compared to placebo‐exposed individuals, there was a tendency for shorter reaction times in the working memory task, suggesting better performance in PL‐treated subjects. The two treatment groups did not significantly differ in their endocrine stress response. However, PL‐treated subjects with a higher stress load showed a blunted psychological stress response.

Results of the present study show beneficial effects of PL intake on cognitive performance. Under acute stress, benefits of PL may only be visible in chronically stressed subjects.

This paper provides new information for practitioners, academics and food supplement industries interested in possible beneficial effects of a milk phospholipid product on memory and mental stress.