Alzheimer's: New Research Links Lithium to Potential Treatment

New research published in the journal Nature suggests that lithium, a mineral known for its use in treating bipolar disorder, may offer hope for treating Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists from Harvard Medical School found that reducing lithium in the diet of mice caused inflammation and alterations resembling Alzheimer's. Conversely, maintaining normal lithium levels appeared to protect the brain.

The research showed that lithium binds to beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, reducing its availability to cells that clear harmful substances. Using a form of lithium (lithium orotate) that does not bind to plaques led to a reversal of brain damage in mice.

Dr. Bruce Yankner, the study's lead author, stated that the data is "very impressive" and that lithium is a potential candidate for a common mechanism leading to the degeneration of many brain systems.

Previous studies have also suggested the importance of lithium in Alzheimer's, with a Danish study in 2017 finding that people who drank water with higher levels of lithium were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

Researchers are trying to understand why lithium decreases in the brain with age, with possible causes including reduced intake through diet, genetic, and environmental factors.