Lithium: A therapeutic option in Alzheimer's disease and its prodromal stages?

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Experimental data reveal that lithium is capable of attenuating Alzheimer's disease pathology and stimulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Clinical studies show procognitive effects in lithium-treated patients with amnestic MCI and Alzheimer's disease. These procognitive effects are associated with changes of CSF biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. After 3 months of lithium treatment with low lithium levels, a slowing of cognitive decline is observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In patients with amnestic MCI with low-dose lithium treatment a trend of a reduced Alzheimer's disease conversion rate and longer cognitive stability was reported. Thus, lithium might be a therapeutic option in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and its prodromal stages. But its therapeutic efficacy needs further evaluation. Further studies should include head-to-head comparisons with approved dementia treatment options. Due to lithium's therapeutic toxicity a thorough preselection of patients and a closely therapeutic monitoring is necessary. This manuscript is based on a literature review.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number136044
Pages (from-to)136044
JournalNeuroscience letters
Volume760
Publication statusPublished - 24 Aug 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85108009059
ORCID /0000-0002-2666-859X/work/151982182
ORCID /0000-0002-2936-5180/work/151982510

Keywords

Keywords

  • Alzheimer Disease/complications, Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid, Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis, Disease Progression, Hippocampus/drug effects, Humans, Lithium Compounds/pharmacology, Neuropsychological Tests, Prodromal Symptoms