Hericium erinaceus extract reduces anxiety and depressive behaviors by promoting hippocampal neurogenesis in the adult mouse brain

This 2018 animal study tested the impact of Hericium erinaceus (HE) on anxiety and depressive behaviors using male C57BL/6 mice. The rodents were given either the mushroom (H. erinaceus) extract or saline once a day for 4 weeks. Open field tests measure general activity levels, whereas tail suspension tests can assess stress levels in mice. These assessments were carried out 30 minutes after the last dose of H. erinaceus. The forced swim test, which evaluates susceptibility to negative mood, was undertaken 2 days later. Daily consumption of Hericium erinaceus showed anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects. After treatment with H. erinaceus, specific cells in the dentate gyrus (area in the brain that is critical in learning and memory) grew larger compared with the saline group. This therapy appeared to enhance development of new neurons (called neurogenesis). Overall, this study demonstrates that chronic treatment with Hericium erinaceus extract can have anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects, possibly by increasing new cell growth in the hippocampus. [NPID: mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms, anxiety, depression, hippocampus]

Year: 2018

Reference: Ryu, S., Kim, H. G., Kim, J. Y., Kim, S. Y., & Cho, K. O. (2018). Hericium erinaceus Extract Reduces Anxiety and Depressive Behaviors by Promoting Hippocampal Neurogenesis in the Adult Mouse Brain. Journal of medicinal food, 21(2), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2017.4006