The mushroom ‘Hericium erinaceus’, also known as lion’s mane, improves the growth of brain cells
Historically, a balanced diet that includes foods such as fruits (especially berries) and vegetables, as well as nuts (especially walnuts) and oily fish, among others, has been associated with positive effects on the brain, but there are more foods that promote cognitive development? researchers of the University of Queenslandin Australia, have discovered the active compound in an edible mushroom that stimulates nerve growth and improves memory.
The study is published in the ‘Journal of Neurochemistry’. The teacher Frederic Meunierfrom the Queensland Brain Institute, said the team had identified new active compounds in the mushroom. ‘Hericium erinaceus’, also known as lion’s mane. Specifically, these scientists have found that lion’s mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and memory in preclinical trials.
“Extracts from the so-called lion’s mane mushrooms have been used for centuries in traditional medicine in Asian countries, but we wanted to scientifically determine their possible effect on brain cells,” explains Professor Meunier.
“Preclinical tests found that the lion’s mane mushroom had a significant impact on the growth of brain cells and memory improvement,” says the expert.
Laboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of the compounds isolated from ‘Hericium erinaceus’ in cultured brain cells, and discovered that the active compounds promote neuronal projections, extending and connecting to other neurons.
“Using super-resolution microscopy, we found that the mushroom extract and its active components greatly increase the size of growth cones, which are especially important for brain cells to perceive their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brain.” , details.
The co-author, Ramon Martinez-Marmol, claims that the discovery had applications that could treat and protect against neurodegenerative cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. “Our idea was to identify bioactive compounds of natural origin that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons, which would improve memory formation,” explains Martínez-Marmol.
For his part, Dae Hee Lee Free Mp3 Downloadfrom CNGBio Co, which has supported and collaborated on the research project, has highlighted that the properties of the lion’s mane mushrooms have been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times.
“This important research is unraveling the molecular mechanism of lion’s mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function, particularly memory,” said Dr. Lee.
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