Mushrooms for Alzheimer’s?

According to Wisdom in mushrooms, Local doctor believes he may have found the cure to Alzheimer’s disease by Jason Horton:

Recently, through extensive research with collaborators at the University of Texas and Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and through his own work, Hausman may have found an effective treatment, even prevention, for Alzheimer’s disease.

“I believe that we have discovered a way to slow down the development of Alzheimer’s disease … possibly even Parkinson’s disease,” he said. “Is it a cure? We don’t know for sure right now, but the research is compelling.”

The key in all this is natural, organic, edible specialty mushrooms. More specifically, the Agaricus blazei.

UV Irradiation of Mushrooms

MycoRant previously made note of the use of UV radiation to up the vitamin D concentration in mushrooms, and this seems to play a role in the claims. Like I always say, “What’s true for fruit flies, it true for humans.” Oh wait, that’s “yeast.” Never mind.

More on Agaricus blazei (perhaps more properly called Agaricus subrufescens?)

(Wikipedia article is flagged so I’m not going to link it)

Agaricus blazei at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

The Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus blazei Murrill: Review of Literature and Pharmaco-Toxicological Problems

Inhibitory effect of Agaricu blazei Murill components on abnormal collagen fiber formation in human hepatocarcinoma cells (See also links on right side panel of this one)

Effects of the medicinal mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill on immunity, infection and cancer

Agaricus subrufescens at Mushroom Expert