title: Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake.
abstract: Hericium erinaceus, a well known edible mushroom, has numerous biological activities. Especially hericenones and erinacines isolated from its fruiting body stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis, which expects H. erinaceus to have some effects on brain functions and autonomic nervous system. Herein, we investigated the clinical effects of H. erinaceus on menopause, depression, sleep quality and indefinite complaints, using the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Indefinite Complaints Index (ICI). Thirty females were randomly assigned to either the H. erinaceus (HE) group or the placebo group and took HE cookies or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. Each of the CES-D and the ICI score after the HE intake was significantly lower than that before. In two terms of the ICI, "insentive" and "palpitatio", each of the mean score of the HE group was significantly lower than the placebo group. "Concentration", "irritating" and "anxious" tended to be lower than the placebo group. Our results show that HE intake has the possibility to reduce depression and anxiety and these results suggest a different mechanism from NGF-enhancing action of H. erinaceus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Kyoto Bunkyo University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Kuniyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Ryuichiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Chickako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohnuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor