Lithium treatment helps slow the progression of memory loss, according to new research, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. The finding raises the possibility that lithium could one day be used to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers from the University of Sao Paulo , Brazil, carried out a small-scale study with 41 people. All the participants were over the age of 60 and had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. A total of 21 of the patients took low-doses of lithium every day for a year. The other 20 participants took a placebo or ‘dummy’ pill. All participants underwent tests of their memory and attention. They also gave a sample of their cerebrospinal fluid, which was tested for phospho-tau concentrations – a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.
After 12 months, the researchers found that all the participants experienced a decline in their memory and cognitive functioning. However, the decline was significantly smaller in the group treated with lithium than in the placebo group. Lithium treatment was also associated with a significant decrease in concentrations of phospho-tau in people’s cerebrospinal fluid.
Lithium treatment was not associated with any major side effects. People in both the lithium and placebo groups reported a similar number of side-effects, most of which were mild and only lasted for a short period.
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