Lion’s Mane (<i>Hericium erinaceus</i>) Exerts Anxiolytic Effects in the rTg4510 Tau Mouse Model

oleh: Mya N. Rodriguez, Stephen L. P. Lippi

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-07-01

Deskripsi

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) significantly impairs the life of an individual both cognitively and behaviorally. Tau and beta-amyloid (Aβ) proteins are major contributors to the etiology of AD. This study used mice modeling AD through the presence of tau pathology to assess the effects of <i>Hericium erinaceus</i> (<i>H. erinaceus</i>), also known as Lion’s mane, on cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors. Despite neurocognitive and neurobiological effects of <i>H. erinaceus</i> being seen in both healthy and transgenic mice, no research to date has explored its effects on mice with solely tau pathology. In this study, mice were placed on a diet supplemented with <i>H. erinaceus</i> or a standard rodent diet for 4.5 months in order to determine the effect of this medicinal mushroom on behavior. Tau mice given <i>H. erinaceus</i> had significantly shorter latencies to enter the center of the open field (OF) (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and spent significantly more time in the open arms of the elevated zero maze (EZM) (<i>p</i> < 0.001) compared to tau control mice. Mice given <i>H. erinaceus</i> spent significantly more time in the open arms of and made more head dips in the elevated zero maze (EZM) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). While <i>H. erinaceus</i> had anxiolytic effects, no improvements were seen in spatial memory or activities of daily living. These findings provide additional support for the anxiolytic effects of <i>H. erinaceus</i> and point to its potential benefit as a therapeutic for anxiety in AD.