Lion’s mane mushroom : A fungus to remember, a novel venture into dementia therapy

As life expectancy increases globally, so does the prevalence of age-related diseases, some of which are more difficult to adapt to and accommodate for than others. In particular, neurodegenerative disorders are among those for which adaptations are more complex, often requiring long-term care. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder linked with atrophy of certain cognition related brain regions, causing severe memory, and cognitive function loss. A major hypothesis behind Alzheimer’s disease, upon which most pharmaceutical therapies are based, proposes its cause as the degeneration of cholinergic neurons. Nerve growth factor is a biomolecule found to stimulate the generation, protection, and regeneration of cholinergic neurons. Synthesis of nerve growth factor has been found to be promoted by hericenones and erinacines, bioactive compounds originally extracted from the mycelium of the Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus); however, direct supplementation with H. erinaceus has also yielded positive results. In animal models H. erinaceus has enhanced Nerve growth factor levels, increased neuronal survival, promoted hippocampal neurogenesis, decreased amyloid plaque build-up, and improved behavioural outcomes. Human trials showed improvements in cognitive function scores, short-term memory, and visual contrast sensitivity. Phytotherapeutic remedies such as these have long been used across a multitude of cultures, however, now with quantitative scientific evidence supporting their benefits, their implementation into clinical therapies is being explored. Though there is still room for further research, H. erinaceus shows a promising future as a potential pharmaceutical therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments