Research Keyword: blood-brain barrier

Discovering the Potential Mechanisms of Medicinal Mushrooms Antidepressant Activity: A Review

This review explores how medicinal mushrooms may help fight depression through several natural mechanisms. These mushrooms contain compounds that boost serotonin production, reduce brain inflammation, and promote healthy neural growth. The review also discusses psilocybin from magic mushrooms as a promising rapid-acting treatment for severe depression that doesn’t respond to conventional medications.

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Mushrooms, Microdosing, and Mental Illness: The Effect of Psilocybin on Neurotransmitters, Neuroinflammation, and Neuroplasticity

This review examines how psilocybin, the active compound in certain mushrooms, may help treat depression and anxiety by reducing brain inflammation and promoting healthy neurotransmitter function. Both full doses under medical supervision and smaller ‘microdoses’ show promise for mental health conditions. The research suggests psilocybin works by calming the immune system’s inflammatory response while simultaneously supporting the brain’s natural healing and adaptation processes, offering a potential alternative treatment when standard medications don’t work.

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Microbial links to Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers are investigating whether common infections from bacteria, viruses, and fungi might trigger or worsen Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show that pathogens like the bacteria that causes gum disease and certain herpes viruses can reach the brain and trigger inflammation and amyloid-beta accumulation, key features of Alzheimer’s. While the evidence is promising, scientists haven’t yet proven whether these infections cause Alzheimer’s or simply make existing disease worse.

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Microbial links to Alzheimer’s disease

This review examines whether germs like bacteria, fungi, and viruses might play a role in causing Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists have found that certain bacteria from the mouth and gut, fungal infections, and cold sores (herpes viruses) appear more frequently in Alzheimer’s patients and may trigger the brain changes that damage memory and thinking. While the evidence is promising, researchers still need to determine whether these infections actually cause Alzheimer’s or simply make it worse once it develops.

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β-chitosan attenuates hepatic macrophage-driven inflammation and reverses aging-related cognitive impairment

Researchers found that β-chitosan, a compound extracted from squid parietal bone, can reverse age-related memory and learning problems in mice, zebrafish, and worms. The compound works by reducing excessive inflammation in the liver and lowering inflammatory chemicals in the blood, which in turn reduces brain inflammation. This discovery suggests a direct connection between liver health and brain aging, and β-chitosan may offer a new therapeutic approach for age-related cognitive decline.

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The Biological Activity of Ganoderma lucidum on Neurodegenerative Diseases: The Interplay between Different Active Compounds and the Pathological Hallmarks

Reishi mushroom, used in traditional Asian medicine for centuries, contains over 400 bioactive compounds that show promise in protecting the brain from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The mushroom’s components work through multiple pathways to reduce inflammation, fight oxidative stress, and protect neurons from damage. While laboratory and animal studies show encouraging results, human clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness as a treatment.

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Conjugation of a Cryptococcus neoformans-derived metalloprotease to antifungal-loaded PLGA nanoparticles treats neural cryptococcosis in an in vitro model

Researchers developed special nanoparticles that can cross the protective barrier surrounding the brain by using a protein from a fungal infection. These nanoparticles are loaded with an antifungal drug and can effectively treat cryptococcal brain infections in laboratory tests. This approach offers a new way to deliver medicines to the brain without invasive procedures, potentially helping patients with serious brain infections that are currently difficult to treat.

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Conjugation of a Cryptococcus neoformans-derived metalloprotease to antifungal-loaded PLGA nanoparticles treats neural cryptococcosis in an in vitro model

Researchers developed tiny nanoparticle carriers coated with a fungal enzyme that helps them cross the protective barrier around the brain. These particles were loaded with an antifungal drug to treat brain infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. In laboratory tests, the Mpr1-coated particles successfully penetrated the blood-brain barrier better than regular nanoparticles and were more effective at killing the fungal cells.

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Natural Neuroinflammatory Modulators: Therapeutic Potential of Fungi-Derived Compounds in Selected Neurodegenerative Diseases

This comprehensive review explores how compounds found in mushrooms could help treat serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Mushrooms contain natural substances such as certain carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that can reduce harmful inflammation in the brain and protect nerve cells from damage. Scientists have tested these mushroom-derived compounds in laboratory and animal models, finding they can improve memory, movement, and overall brain function. This research suggests mushrooms could become an important part of new treatments for these currently incurable neurological conditions.

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The progress of the microbe-gut-brain axis in sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Sepsis can cause brain dysfunction called sepsis-associated encephalopathy, leading to memory problems and confusion in about one-third to two-thirds of sepsis patients. The bacteria in your gut communicate with your brain through multiple pathways, and when sepsis disrupts this communication, it causes harmful inflammation in the brain. Treatments like probiotics and transplanting healthy gut bacteria from donors show promise in animal studies and early human trials for improving memory and cognitive function after sepsis.

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