Cordyceps sinensis and other species of Cordyceps mushrooms are sometimes found as supplements.
After having experimented for one year with it, I am sharing my thoughts here. I hope to some day hear thoughts about AMPA receptors, and more details about its neurochemistry, from someone more experienced.
First some facts that I gathered by searching online:- Cordycepin has been found to produce rapid, robust imipramine-like antidepressant effects in animal models of depression, and these effects, similarly to those of imipramine, are dependent on enhancement of AMPA receptor signaling.
- Almost all of the GluA2 subunits in CNS are edited to the GluA2(R) form. This means that the principal ions gated by AMPARs are sodium and potassium, distinguishing AMPARs from NMDA receptors (the other main ionotropic glutamate receptors in the brain), which also permit calcium influx.
- In the regulated pathway, GluA1-containing AMPA receptors are trafficked to the synapse in an activity-dependent manner, stimulated by NMDA receptor activation.[13] Under basal conditions, the regulated pathway is essentially inactive, being transiently activated only upon the induction of long-term potentiation.[47][48] This pathway is responsible for synaptic strengthening and the initial formation of new memories.[50]
My personal experience:- With frequent usage, the first capsule after a long break produces the most noticeable (although subtle) mood change.
- The onset is fast, maybe due to the powerful mushroomey taste.
- Rejuvenation feeling, less tunnel vision, less twitchy-ness (especially when adding to coffee).
- Reduced stress.
I'd love to correlate my subjective experience to the wealth of knowledge available, but to me, an unexperienced reader, it is hard to connect everything.
Related reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih...pmc/articles/PMC4851261/