Mushrooms for the brain: A review of the neuroprotective effects of mushroom bioactive compounds.

Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases pose significant challenges to individuals' well-being and healthcare systems. These conditions share common mechanisms like oxidative stress, protein aggregation, inflammation, impaired neurotransmission, mitochondrial dysfunction, and excitotoxicity. Current treatments offer limited efficacy and often come with adverse effects. Mushrooms, recognized as a valuable cultural and nutritional resource, hold therapeutic potential. As a future superfood, they contribute to overall health and well-being. Various mushroom groups have been studied for their bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, protein complexes, peptides, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, demonstrating efficacy in different neurodegenerative conditions. Notably, edible mushrooms have shown promise in mitigating beta-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity. This review explores the utilization of mushroom biomolecules in treating neurodegenerative diseases, offering novel research insights with preclinical and clinical trials in both rat model and humans paving the way for the development and utilization of mushroom bioactive compounds as neuroprotective agents.