Tiny amounts of lithium — a natural metal — may help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s and signs of aging, new research shows. Scientists at Harvard Medical School and Rush University found that when mice were fed a low-lithium diet, their brains developed more inflammation and signs of aging accelerated. The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Turns out, lithium may play a critical role in how the brain stays healthy, the researchers found. In the study, they compared normal mice to mice bred to develop brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s, including a build-up of sticky proteins. Mice on low-lithium diets developed problems more quickly, while those given a specific lithium compound called lithium orotate saw signs of brain improvement. When given lithium orotate, mice had fewer memory problems and fewer of the sticky clumps known as beta amyloid plaques. In people, those plaques are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. Many people know lithium as a drug used to treat bipolar disorder and depression. It’s been used for decades. But this study suggests that very small amounts of lithium are naturally present in the body, and it may be essential for brain health. Researchers suspect that beta amyloid binds to lithium and prevents it from reaching brain cells that need it. Without enough lithium, cells called microglia, which help clean up waste in the brain,… read on > read on >
