Lithium: Slow Progress of Alzheimer

The result of experiments on 41 people with mild cognitive impairment for 60 years, found that the rate of mental decline they experienced lower given 150 mg lithium per day.

Participants showed reduced memory function and attention to duty for years, but they were given lithium, the rate of decline is low.

"Measures of Alzheimer's disease called phospho-tau concentrations also rose more slowly in those who received lithium," according to research published in British Journal of Psychiatry.

Psychiatrists believe that lithium could inhibit the mechanisms that lead to the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary investigation, microscopic brain structure associated with the most common form of dementia, according to Telegraph, (04/28/2011).

Forlenza Orestes, who led the research said, "This study supports the claim that giving lithium to someone who is at risk of suffering from Alzheimer's disease may have a protective effect and slow the progression of memory loss to dementia."

Professor Allan Young, from Imperial College London, "This study adds to evidence that lithium may have beneficial effects on brain. Of course this needs further testing."