Researchers led by a team from Harvard Medical School aimed to study the previous links found between exposure to metals and the risk of developing dementia. Through hundreds of brain tissue and blood samples donated by individuals with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, early-stage mild cognitive impairment, and those without any cognitive issues, the team conducted tests on dozens of different metals.
Geneticist and neurologist Bruce Yankner from Harvard Medical School stated, “The idea that lithium deficiency might be a cause of Alzheimer’s is new and suggests a different therapeutic approach.” While lithium is widely used to treat bipolar disorder, this is the first time its natural presence in the brain has been discovered, as reported by Science Magazine.
Yankner explained, “Lithium seems similar to other nutrients we obtain from the environment, like iron and vitamin C. This is the first time lithium has been shown to exist at a biologically significant natural level without being used as a drug.” Additional analyses revealed that amyloid-beta protein clusters associated with Alzheimer’s appear to bind with lithium in the brain, reducing its availability to neurons and accelerating disease progression, according to Science Alert.
Researchers found that a specific type of lithium, lithium orotate, can avoid being captured by amyloid-beta proteins. When small doses were given to mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, the animals regained their mental functions, and other signs of cognitive decline were effectively reversed. Ultimately, Alzheimer’s could be diagnosed early by measuring patients’ lithium levels, while lithium supplements might be beneficial as a preventive or therapeutic measure.
Given the increasing number of people affected by dementia, there is an urgent need to find ways to protect the brain from the severe consequences of this condition.
