Prevention of Early Alzheimer’s Disease by Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelia Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Authors: I-Chen Li, Han-Hsin Chang, Chuan-Han Lin, et al.

Journal: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Study Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Participants: 41 patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

Trial Length: 49 weeks

Intervention:

• EAHE group (n = 20): Three capsules of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia (EAHE) per day (350 mg/capsule, containing 5 mg/g erinacine A)
• Placebo group (n = 21)

Primary Outcomes:

• Cognitive assessments: Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)
• Ophthalmic examinations: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity (CS)
• Blood biomarkers: Homocysteine (Hcy), hemoglobin (Hb), calcium, albumin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), alpha1-antichymotrypsin (α-ACT), apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), amyloid-beta peptide 1–40 (β-amyloid)
• Neuroimaging: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess changes in brain microstructure

Summary: The study investigated the effects of EAHE on mild AD patients. After 49 weeks, the EAHE group showed significant improvements in MMSE scores and contrast sensitivity compared to the placebo group. The EAHE group also had better IADL scores at week 49. Additionally, EAHE positively influenced blood biomarkers associated with AD, and DTI analysis revealed less structural deterioration in certain brain regions. The study concludes that EAHE may be safe and beneficial in reducing cognitive decline and improving visual function in mild AD patients. Four subjects dropped out of the study due to abdominal discomfort, nausea, and skin rash, but no other adverse events were reported.