HERICIUM ERINACEUS AND COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT IN HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

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Background: Hericium erinaceus (lion's mane mushroom) has been investigated as a potential cognitive enhancer, partly because preclinical studies link selected constituents to neurotrophic signaling. The clinical relevance of these mechanisms in cognitively intact young adults remains uncertain. Objective: This narrative review evaluates human and mechanistic evidence relevant to cognitive enhancement by lion's mane, with emphasis on healthy young adults. Methods: Targeted searches of biomedical databases, publisher websites, and reference lists identified human trials, mechanistic studies, and contextual reviews available through June 2026. Results: Four studies directly examined healthy young or college-age adults. Acute studies reported changes in selected outcomes, including Stroop completion time, serial subtraction attempts, reaction-time measures, and pegboard performance. These findings were not consistent across cognitive domains or studies, and some reflected changes over time within the lion's mane condition rather than a clear advantage over placebo. A four-week college-age study found no cognitive benefit. More favorable results in older adults and people with cognitive impairment concern support of impaired function rather than enhancement above an intact baseline. Preclinical evidence most consistently supports nerve growth factor-related activity, whereas evidence involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor remains less developed and largely experimental. Conclusions: Current evidence does not support broad claims that lion's mane improves cognition or memory in healthy young adults. Larger randomized trials using chemically characterized preparations, prespecified cognitive outcomes, and prospective mechanistic biomarkers are required.

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