Lion's mane mushrooms powerfully stimulate the growth and function of brain cells.

This gives them anti-depressant / anti-anxiety and cognitive enhancing properties.

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This 2019 article investigated the impacts of a Lion's mane mushroom extract (500 mg) on various markers of mental health.

The researchers found several significant benefits of the shrooms.

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Lion's mane had striking anti-depressant and anti-anxiety impacts.

Also improved sleep quite a bit.

All 3 of these metrics declined by >40% in terms of symptom scoring.

What's crazy is that the effect was still present even 2 months after stopping the mushrooms.

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What's odd is that there was actually a DECLINE in BDNF, the brain's main growth + development stimulating factor.

The main reason here is that this is measured in the serum.

If we look into the brain itself we see just why Lion's mane was so powerful.

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Lion's mane extracts powerfully support the growth of new neurons.

A2/A4/A5/A6 are all extracts of Lion's mane, and as you can see there was a substantial increase in what is called neurite outgrowth.

This is a measurement of the growth of projections from baby brain cells, that can become axons or dendrites - they key signaling structures of neurons.

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Even fully grown neurons still benefit a ton from Lion's mane.

These compounds:

◇ NDPIH (N-de phenylethyl isohericerin)
◇ Hericene A
◇ Corallocin A

all found in these mushrooms, were shown to increase axon length in brain cells as well.

Axons are what transmit neurochemical signals and are key to all functions in the brain.

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We also see an increase of growth cones in neurons with Lion's mane.

What are growth cones?

They're essentially protein guiding systems that wire the brain and nervous system, directing brain cells on where to go and how to grow properly.

They also contain microtubules which are needed for the structure of nervous tissue.

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We can see that in the brain itself, BDNF is upregulated with Lion's mane.

We also see:

NGF ↑ – axon growth support (another neurotrophic factor)
CNFT ↑ – motor neuron protection (another neurotrophic factor)
GDNF ↑ – dopaminergic survival (another neurotrophic factor)
p-TrkB ↑ – BDNF receptor
p-TrkA ↑ – NGF receptor
p-ERK1/2 ↑ – growth signaling cascade
p-CREB ↑ – memory gene transcription
SYP ↑ – synapse density marker

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One thing I would note is that Lion's Mane does have a community of vocal people who seem to have had side effects from it.

How reliable / prevalent this is is open to interpretation, but still noteworthy nonetheless reddit.com/r/LionsManeRec…

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