Lion's Mane & Neurogenesis: NGF, BDNF, and Cognitive Health
A deep-dive into the science behind Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) and its unique capacity to stimulate Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) synthesis. Covers the blood-brain-barrier-crossing erinacines, double-blind clinical trials on cognitive impairment, mood and sleep improvements in obese adults, and emerging Alzheimer's prevention research.
Source Research Papers
Citations in APA 7 format. All studies were sourced from peer-reviewed journals via Google Scholar. Unfamiliar terms? See the plain-language glossary →
Mori, K., Inatomi, S., Ouchi, K., Azumi, Y., & Tuchida, T. (2008). Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research, 23(3), 367–372. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2634 https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2634
Older adults with mild memory problems who took Lion's Mane daily for four months scored better on memory tests than those on a placebo — but the benefit faded after they stopped.
Nagano, M., Shimizu, K., Kondo, R., Hayashi, C., Sato, D., Kitagawa, K., & Ohnuki, K. (2010). Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomedical Research, 31(4), 231–237.
Women who took Lion's Mane for four weeks reported less anxiety and depression than those on a placebo — an early sign it may lift mood, not just memory.
Vigna, L., Morelli, F., Agnelli, G. M., Napolitano, F., Ratto, D., Occhinegro, A., Di Iorio, C., Savino, E., Girometta, C., Brandalise, F., & Rossi, P. (2019). Hericium erinaceus improves mood and sleep disorders in patients affected by overweight or obesity: Could circulating pro-BDNF and BDNF be potential biomarkers? Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019, 7861297. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7861297
Overweight adults taking Lion's Mane for eight weeks reported better mood and sleep, alongside changes in a brain-growth protein that hint at how it might help.
Li, I.-C., Chang, H.-H., Lin, C.-H., Chen, W.-P., Lu, T.-H., Lee, L.-Y., Chen, Y.-W., Chen, Y.-P., Chen, C.-C., & Lin, D.-P. (2020). Prevention of early Alzheimer's disease by erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia pilot double-blind placebo-controlled study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 12, 155. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2020.00155
In a year-long pilot trial, early-stage Alzheimer's patients on a special Lion's Mane extract did better on thinking tests than those on a placebo — the most direct human evidence so far, though still small.
Docherty, S., Doughty, F. L., & Smith, E. F. (2023). The acute and chronic effects of lion's mane mushroom supplementation on cognitive function, stress and mood in young adults: A double-blind, parallel groups, pilot study. Nutrients, 15(22), 4842. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224842
In a small trial with healthy young adults, Lion's Mane sped up thinking shortly after a dose and lowered stress after four weeks — promising, but it needs bigger studies to confirm.
Ma, B. J., Shen, J. W., Yu, H. Y., Ruan, Y., Wu, T. T., & Zhao, X. (2010). Hericenones and erinacines: Stimulators of nerve growth factor (NGF) biosynthesis in Hericium erinaceus. Mycology, 1(2), 92–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/21501201003735556
Explains the two Lion's Mane compound families that spur nerve growth, and why the ones from the root-like mycelium may reach the brain better than those from the cap.
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