Provided is a substance which is a safe material such as a food component and an extract of a natural product and has a stronger effect of ameliorating a cerebral function (effect of ameliorating a metabolism of monoamines as an intracerebral neurotransmitter and ameliorating deterioration in memory and learning due to hypofunction of a cholinergic neuron). The present invention provides a composition for ameliorating a cerebral function, comprising an alkali-stable lipid from an acetic acid bacterium, N-acylsphinganine or N-2'-hydroxypalmitoyl-sphinganine, as an active ingredient.