August 06, 2025
Lithium may be best known today as the metal that powers the rechargeable batteries in our phones and laptops. But its history stretches far beyond electronics: it was once added to soft drinks as a mood booster and has long been prescribed as a drug to stabilize mood in people with bipolar disorder. Now, scientists are uncovering another possible role for this versatile element—as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
In a study published in Nature, researchers found that people with Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment had lower levels of lithium in their brains compared to healthy individuals. In follow-up experiments, mice bred with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms showed improved memory when given a specific form of lithium.
“This is a thorough and pioneering exploration of lithium’s role in the brain during cognitive decline,” said Ashley Bush, a psychiatrist at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, who was not involved in the research. He added that the findings could provide a fresh path for Alzheimer’s drug development, even as new anti-amyloid therapies reach the market.
Lithium occurs naturally in trace amounts in rocks and seawater, and people consume small doses through foods like cereals, cabbage, and tomatoes, or through drinking water that passes over lithium-rich rocks. Though scientists still don’t fully understand why, lithium appears to have stabilizing effects on mood-a property that led to its use in treating bipolar disorder.
Now, its potential to protect memory may give the mineral a new place in the fight against dementia.
SOURCE: https://www.science.org/content/article/could-lithium-stave-alzheimer-s-disease
CREDITS: SCIENCE JOURNALS