A promising path for early detection and intervention
BOSTON – A Harvard Medical School study, published in Nature, has revealed that lithium — a long-standing psychiatric treatment — plays a vital role in brain health, and that its deficiency may be a key driver in Alzheimer’s disease progression.
🔹 Key findings:
- Lithium occurs naturally in the brain, supporting all neuron types.
- Levels may drop before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear.
- Mouse studies: deficiency sped up amyloid plaque and tau protein build-up.
- Low doses of lithium orotate restored memory and reversed some damage.
Researchers suggest developing blood tests to measure lithium levels, paving the way for clinical trials that address Alzheimer’s at its root rather than only treating symptoms.
📷 Suggested image: High-resolution microscope image of brain neurons with lithium (Li) element icon.
🔗 Source: Nature – Harvard Medical School
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