“Studying the anti-inflammatory effects of the Hericium erinaceus mushroom on the cognitive and mental health of undergraduate students”
Department
Chemistry
Advisor
Stoeckman, Angela
Location
Bethel University
Document Type
Poster
Start Date
2-26-2025 4:00 PM
End Date
2-26-2025 5:00 PM
Abstract
A recent American College Health Association study conducted on university students revealed that 75% of all respondents experienced high stress levels in school, and 35% felt that this stress negatively impacted their academic performance. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many university students are experiencing an increase in anxiety and depression along with a decrease in cognitive health. Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) is an edible mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine as its composition includes beneficial polysaccharides, proteins, lectins, phenols, and terpenoids. This mushroom has been demonstrated to increase nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis and decrease inflammation in mice and in some initial human trials. It has also been shown to reduce depression and anxiety in both teenagers and adults. In our study, the Lion’s Mane mushroom will be used in supplement form to determine if it could decrease inflammation and improve cognitive function in undergraduate students from a private liberal arts university. Participants will have their blood drawn before and after a 30-day period of taking the supplement, and inflammatory activity will be assessed by quantification of plasma IL-1β levels and of the activation marker CD69 on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs). To determine neural benefits of the supplement, plasma NGF will be measured. Participants will also undergo the Stroop test, a measure of cognitive function, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) test, a self-reporting depression scale. Further, we plan to assess the ability of Lion’s Mane extract to decrease secretion of IL-1β from lipopolysaccharide-induced THP-1 cells in culture.
Recommended Citation
Shearer, Abbie, "“Studying the anti-inflammatory effects of the Hericium erinaceus mushroom on the cognitive and mental health of undergraduate students”" (2025). Day of Scholarship. 29.
https://spark.bethel.edu/dayofscholarship/spring2025/feb26/29
“Studying the anti-inflammatory effects of the Hericium erinaceus mushroom on the cognitive and mental health of undergraduate students”
Bethel University
A recent American College Health Association study conducted on university students revealed that 75% of all respondents experienced high stress levels in school, and 35% felt that this stress negatively impacted their academic performance. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many university students are experiencing an increase in anxiety and depression along with a decrease in cognitive health. Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) is an edible mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine as its composition includes beneficial polysaccharides, proteins, lectins, phenols, and terpenoids. This mushroom has been demonstrated to increase nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis and decrease inflammation in mice and in some initial human trials. It has also been shown to reduce depression and anxiety in both teenagers and adults. In our study, the Lion’s Mane mushroom will be used in supplement form to determine if it could decrease inflammation and improve cognitive function in undergraduate students from a private liberal arts university. Participants will have their blood drawn before and after a 30-day period of taking the supplement, and inflammatory activity will be assessed by quantification of plasma IL-1β levels and of the activation marker CD69 on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs). To determine neural benefits of the supplement, plasma NGF will be measured. Participants will also undergo the Stroop test, a measure of cognitive function, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) test, a self-reporting depression scale. Further, we plan to assess the ability of Lion’s Mane extract to decrease secretion of IL-1β from lipopolysaccharide-induced THP-1 cells in culture.
