Could a Cheap Element Unlock Alzheimer’s Reversal?
- Yiğit Kurtuluş
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
When people hear lithium, they usually think of psychiatric treatment for bipolar disorder. But groundbreaking new research suggests that this simple, inexpensive element might also be a hidden key to slowing—or even reversing—Alzheimer’s disease.
The Big Discovery
Scientists at Harvard found that lithium levels in the brain are much lower in people with early memory problems and in those already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Curiously, lithium levels in the blood were normal—pointing to a problem with how much lithium the brain can actually use.
Even more intriguing, the notorious amyloid plaques—the sticky protein clumps tied to Alzheimer’s—seem to trap lithium, making it even less available for the brain’s protective functions.
What Did the Researchers Analyze?
This wasn’t just a quick lab test. The team studied lithium’s role from many different angles:
Human Brain Samples: Lithium was lower in the brains of people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s compared to healthy individuals.
Amyloid Plaques: Plaques were found to “trap” lithium, worsening the shortage.
Animal Models: Mice with low-lithium diets developed more plaques, tangles, inflammation, and memory decline.
Brain Cells & Genes: Lithium shortage disrupted how neurons, immune cells, and support cells functioned, mirroring human Alzheimer’s brains.
Treatment Trials: A special form, lithium orotate, bypassed the plaque traps and restored memory in Alzheimer’s mice.
Normal Ageing: Even healthy older mice kept sharper memory and less inflammation with low-dose lithium orotate.
Together, these different lines of evidence paint lithium as a quiet but crucial defender of brain health.
Why Does Lithium Matter?
Lithium is not just another mineral. It helps brain cells stay connected, supports the protective coating of nerve fibers, and calms harmful inflammation. In experiments with mice, a lack of lithium sped up brain ageing: more plaques, more tangles inside neurons, more inflammation, and faster memory decline.
In short, without enough lithium, the brain seems more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s changes.
A New Hope: Lithium Orotate
Here’s the exciting part. Researchers tested a special form of lithium called lithium orotate. Unlike the usual psychiatric version, this type didn’t get trapped by amyloid plaques. In Alzheimer’s mouse models, lithium orotate cut down plaques and tangles, reduced brain inflammation, and even restored memory.
And it did all this at very low doses—far below the levels that can cause side effects in standard psychiatric treatments.
Why This Matters?
This discovery changes how we think about Alzheimer’s. It suggests that a tiny, natural element might play a big role in protecting our memories. While it’s far too early to recommend supplements (we need human trials first), the idea that something so common could reshape our approach to dementia is both surprising and full of hope.
