Table of contents:

Alzheimer's disease - a growing problem
What occurs in the brain during Alzheimer's disease?
What has research on lithium shown?
Why might lithium be important for the brain?
Animal studies
What do the results mean?
Micronutrients and population studies
Where can lithium be found?

Could too low levels of lithium in the body be linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease? This is a question that is increasingly being asked in publications on neurodegenerative processes and brain function.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School have highlighted a possible link between lithium concentrations and cognitive performance. The results of their analyses indicate that lower levels of this element may be associated with memory decline and changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease - a growing problem

Alzheimer's disease is now recognised as one of medicine's greatest health challenges. It is estimated that it can affect tens of millions of people worldwide, and the number of sufferers is increasing as populations age.

The problem also affects Poland - various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, may affect as many as 300-500 thousand people. The number of patients is likely to increase in the coming years, which is directly related to demographic changes.

Lithium deficiency and Alzheimer's disease, photo: panthermedia

The development of the disease is gradual and can be difficult to notice for a long time.

Initial symptoms may include:

short-term memory disorders,
difficulty recalling recent events,
problems concentrating,
slower performance of daily activities.

In more advanced stages, orientation disorders, language problems and behavioural changes may occur.

What happens in the brain during Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease remains the most common cause of dementia; it is one of the main areas of neurological research.

For a long time, researchers have focused their attention primarily on two mechanisms:

the accumulation of amyloid plaques between neurons (protein deposits that impede communication between nerve cells);
changes to the tau protein leading to the formation of tangles within neurons (structures that damage nerve cells).

Both processes interfere with the normal function of neurons and contribute to their gradual death. However, increasing evidence suggests that chronic brain inflammation and dysfunction of the glial cells that support neurons may also play a significant role.

What have the studies on lithium shown?

The study, led by a team from Harvard Medical School, analysed blood and brain tissue samples from healthy individuals, patients with mild memory impairment and Alzheimer's patients.

Concentrations of various elements and trace metals were compared. One of the most interesting results was the lithium level - it was significantly lower in people with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. These differences were observed early on in memory problems.

This may suggest that lithium impairment is not just a result of the developing disease, but occurs in parallel with its progression.

What research has shown about lithium levels in Alzheimer's patients, photo: panthermedia

Why might lithium be important for the brain?

Lithium occurs naturally in the environment in small amounts - including in water and food products. In the body, it may affect processes related to the regulation of inflammation and the normal functioning of neurons.

Research highlights several important relationships:

amyloid plaques may bind lithium and reduce its bioavailability,
reduced lithium availability may increase neuronal vulnerability to cellular stress,
chronic inflammation may further enhance neurodegenerative processes.

In this context, the role of astrocytes - glial cells that support neurons in the healthy brain and may be involved in inflammatory processes in disease conditions - is also being explored.

Animal studies

To better assess the potential role of lithium, studies on animal models have also been conducted.

Mice receiving a lithium-deficient diet showed:

faster cognitive decline,
increased inflammation in the brain,
increased deposition of tau protein and amyloid,
impaired connections between neurons.

In further analyses, lithium orotate was also investigated. This form of the compound showed a greater ability to penetrate into nerve cells, also in the presence of amyloid plaques.

Improved memory and a reduction in some of the neurodegenerative changes were observed in animals. However, these are results from preclinical studies and cannot be directly applied to humans.

What do the results mean?

Despite the promising observations, lithium is not currently used as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Research is still at an early stage and much of the data comes from animal experiments. This means that further research with humans is needed before the true efficacy of lithium in the disease can be assessed.

Remember that lithium supplementation on its own can be dangerous. In higher doses, the element can have toxic effects, especially on the nervous system and the kidneys.

What products can lithium be found in?, photo: panthermedia

Micronutrients and population studies

The growing interest in the role of micronutrients in Alzheimer's disease stems, among other things, from population-based studies on the effects of long-term environmental exposure on brain function. Some of the epidemiological observations point out that natural variations in the composition of drinking water - including lithium content - may be associated with small differences in the prevalence of mood and cognitive impairment.

Although these results do not allow clear causal conclusions to be drawn, they provide an important starting point for further research into the role of trace elements in neurodegenerative processes and their possible impact on brain health.

Where can lithium be found?

Lithium occurs naturally in small amounts in the environment, and its content in the diet depends, among other things, on the composition of the soil and water in a particular region.

Trace amounts of this element are found in, among others:

mineral water,
Whole grain products,
vegetables (e.g. potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage),
fish and seafood
milk and dairy products.

There are currently no recommendations for increasing lithium intake for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

way4cure.com

Harvard research: the role of lithium in Alzheimer's

Related

Topics

See also in

WE RECOMMEND CATEGORY CONTENT Alzheimer's disease