Study protocol: The efficacy of mushroom to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk middle-aged adults and young-olds living in the community

Summary & key facts

This paper describes a planned study to test whether eating a specific mushroom powder can help prevent thinking and memory problems in people aged 45–74 who are at higher risk for dementia. The plan has two parts: a 10-year follow-up of an existing group of over 1,000 older adults, and a randomized controlled trial of about 600 people who will take Pleurotus citrinopileatus powder every day for 24 months. The researchers will measure thinking and memory tests, mental health, and biological markers at the start, 1 year, and 2 years. The paper reports the study design, who can join, what will be measured, and notes that existing evidence is promising but not yet definitive.

Key facts:

• The study has two parts: a 10-year cognitive follow-up of the Diet and Healthy Aging (DaHA) cohort that recruited over 1,000 older adults between 2010 and 2016, and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) planned for about 600 participants.
• The RCT will enroll community-living adults aged 45–74 who are at higher risk of dementia (for example, those with a family history of dementia, the APOE ε4 gene, or subjective cognitive decline) and who report eating mushrooms no more than
• People with dementia, major neurological or psychiatric disorders, or major sensory or motor impairments are excluded from the trial.
• Intervention in the RCT is daily Pleurotus citrinopileatus mushroom powder for 24 months. The powder contains 7.0 mg of ergothioneine per gram (dry weight).
• Study visits and measurements will be done at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years. Cognitive tests include the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT), and Clinical Dement
• Participant adherence to the mushroom powder will be monitored using electronic diary apps to track compliance.
• The paper is a study protocol. It lays out the planned methods but does not report results from the trial. The authors note that human evidence for mushrooms’ neuroprotective effects is limited and needs confirmation in larger trials.
• Earlier work cited in the protocol includes an observational Singapore study that found people who ate more than 2 portions of mushrooms per week had 47% lower odds of mild cognitive impairment, and a small pilot trial (14 people) of ergoth

Abstract

Cognitive function including Mini Mental State Examination, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Symbol Digit Modality test, Clinical Dementia Rating etc. along with mental health and biological markers will be measured at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years after baseline.

Topics

Cancer-related cognitive impairment studies Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds

Categories

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Life Sciences Molecular Biology

Tags

Alternative medicine Biology Cognition Cognitive decline Dementia Developmental psychology Disease Environmental health Food science Gerontology Medicine Mushroom Pathology Protocol (science) Psychiatry Psychology