Discovering the Potential Mechanisms of Medicinal Mushrooms Antidepressant Activity: A Review
Antioxidants March 2, 2023 Jan Lazur, Kamil Hnatyk, Katarzyna Kała et al. 42 citations
Depression affects over 322 million people globally, and current treatments based on the monoamine theory have limited efficacy, with about 30% of cases being treatment-resistant. Observational studies suggest that mushroom consumption is associated with lower odds of depression. This review explains the antidepressant activity of edible and medicinal mushrooms through several mechanisms: they provide serotonin precursors, contain psilocybin as a rapid-acting antidepressant, and exhibit anti-neuroinflammatory and antioxidant effects that influence neurotrophin expression, neurogenesis, and the gut–brain axis.