title: Dietary Supplementation ofHericium erinaceusIncreases Mossy Fiber-CA3 Hippocampal Neurotransmission and Recognition Memory in Wild-Type Mice.
abstract: Hericium erinaceus(Bull.) Pers. is a medicinal mushroom capable of inducing a large number of modulatory effects on human physiology ranging from the strengthening of the immune system to the improvement of cognitive functions. In mice, dietary supplementation withH. erinaceusprevents the impairment of spatial short-term and visual recognition memory in an Alzheimer model. Intriguingly other neurobiological effects have recently been reported like the effect on neurite outgrowth and differentiation in PC12 cells. Until now no investigations have been conducted to assess the impact of this dietary supplementation on brain function in healthy subjects. Therefore, we have faced the problem by considering the effect on cognitive skills and on hippocampal neurotransmission in wild-type mice. In wild-type mice the oral supplementation withH. erinaceusinduces, in behaviour test, a significant improvement in the recognition memory and, in hippocampal slices, an increase in spontaneous and evoked excitatory synaptic current in mossy fiber-CA3 synapse. In conclusion, we have produced a series of findings in support of the concept thatH. erinaceusinduces a boost effect onto neuronal functions also in nonpathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5398-3862
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brandalise
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cesaroni
authors.affiliation: MycoMedica d.o.o., Podkoren 72, 4280 Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Repetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: O. B. L. Department of Surgical Sciences, V. Ospedale 54, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orrù
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Science (DSTA), University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girometta
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Science (DSTA), University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Miconet s.r.l, Academic Spin-Off of the University of Pavia, Via Moruzzi 13, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Lidia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Guglielminetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Science (DSTA), University of Pavia, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Miconet s.r.l, Academic Spin-Off of the University of Pavia, Via Moruzzi 13, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savino
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology (DBB) "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Miconet s.r.l, Academic Spin-Off of the University of Pavia, Via Moruzzi 13, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8061-363X
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rossi