Study reveals the active compound in mushroom enhances nerve growth

The study published in the journal Journal of Neurochemistry reveals an active compound from an edible mushroom can boost nerve growth and enhance memoryProfessor Frederic Meunier from the Queensland Brain Institute said the team had identified new active compounds from the mushroom Hericium erinaceusResearchers have discovered lions mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and memory in preclinical trials Image UQExtracts from these socalled lions mane mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries for centuries but we wanted to scientifically determine their potential effect on brain cells Professor Meunier saidPreclinical testing found the lions mane mushroom had a significant impact on the growth of brain cells and improving memoryLaboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections extending and connecting to other neuronsUsing superresolution microscopy we found the mushroom extract and its active components largely increase the size of growth cones which are particularly important for brain cells to sense their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brainCoauthor UQs Dr Ramon MartinezMarmol said the discovery had applications that could treat and protect against neurodegenerative cognitive disorders such as Alzheimers diseaseOur idea was to identify bioactive compounds from natural sources that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons resulting in improved memory formation Dr MartinezMarmol saidDr Dae Hee Lee from CNGBio Co which has supported and collaborated on the research project said the properties of lions mane mushrooms had been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since antiquityThis important research is unravelling the molecular mechanism of lions mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function particularly memory Dr Lee saidRead More Quashing five most commonly mistaken myths about diabetesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever