Lithium, a treatment for bipolar disorders, might be a key to Alzheimer’s disease

A new study finds that the element lithium plays a crucial role in healthy brain function and suggests it could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

In a Nature study published on Wednesday, researchers found that the brain produces lithium, and that the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease — beta-amyloid plaques — sequesters that lithium to accelerate the disease. By giving mice with mild and severe Alzheimer’s low levels of lithium salts in their water, scientists were able to reverse pathological changes and memory loss.

Read the rest…