A Pilot Proof-of-Concept Study to Evaluate the Physiological and Cognitive Impacts of Hericium erinaceus on Healthy Adults.

Background

Executive function is a critical component of cognitive health that supports goal-directed behavior, attentional control, and cognitive flexibility. These processes are sensitive to aging and lifestyle factors and may be modifiable through nutritional strategies. Hericium Erinaceus (lion's mane; LM) is an edible mushroom containing bioactive compounds shown to stimulate neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), suggesting potential cognitive benefits.

Methods

This pilot, proof-of-concept study examined the effects of four weeks of daily LM supplementation on executive function and circulating plasma BDNF in healthy adults. Participants (n = 10) were healthy adults (18-55 years) and consumed 2 g/day of a certified organic LM supplement composed of mycelial biomass and fruiting body for 28 days. Executive function was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test and the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) test. Plasma BDNF concentrations were measured using a quantitative ELISA. Paired-samples t-tests were used to assess changes from pre to post, and effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d.

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed in executive function or plasma BDNF following supplementation (p > 0.05). However, small-to-moderate effect sizes were observed for flanker inhibitory control and attention (Cohen's d = 0.48), DCCS (Cohen's d = 0.25) and plasma BDNF (Cohen's d = 0.31), suggesting modest improvements from baseline.

Conclusions

The results of this small, pilot, proof-of-concept study demonstrate, within the confines of this study, that LM is safe and well tolerated in healthy adults. The small-to-moderate effects on cognitive function combined with the modest increase in plasma BDNF suggest a promising signal for LM supplementation that warrants further investigation in larger and longer-term randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies.