Groundbreaking research suggests that retaining healthy levels of lithium in the brain may protect against, and even reverse, Alzheimer’s disease, pointing toward a low-cost path forward in one of medicine’s toughest challenges.
“The idea that lithium deficiency could be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease is new and suggests a different therapeutic approach,” says Professor Bruce Yankner of Harvard Medical School, underlining the promise this discovery holds.
Scientists measured levels of 27 metals in brain tissue and found that lithium was the only one significantly reduced in people with early memory loss. In a striking mouse study, administering small doses of lithium orotate restored memory and reversed Alzheimer-like symptoms. Researchers hope these findings pave the way to quick, affordable clinical trials and, ultimately, early detection tools—fueling optimism that a simple, widely available mineral may help alter the course of future generations’ brain health.
