There are always interesting developments in the world of dementia research, with scientists continually exploring new ways to better understand Alzheimer’s disease, its causes and potential treatments.
At Protea Memory Clinic, we believe in keeping families informed about these developments and sharing research that could help shape the future of dementia care. However, it is important to remember that early scientific findings do not necessarily translate into proven treatments or medical recommendations. Much of this research is still in its experimental stages, and further studies are often needed before its findings can be applied to people.
One particularly interesting discovery involves a mineral most people would never associate with brain health: lithium. Lithium is best known as a medication used to treat bipolar disorder, but tiny amounts of it also occur naturally in water, soil and some foods. A major study published in Nature has raised an intriguing possibility – that naturally occurring lithium in the brain may play a role in protecting cognitive function as we age.
While the findings are encouraging, they are still preliminary and do not mean that lithium supplements can prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease.
What Did Researchers Find?
Researchers examined levels of 27 different metals in brain tissue from people who had normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer’s disease. Lithium stood out.
Levels of lithium were lower in areas of the brain affected by cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers also found evidence that amyloid plaques – one of the characteristic features of Alzheimer’s – may trap lithium, reducing the amount available to surrounding brain cells. This led scientists to investigate whether a lack of lithium might actually contribute to some of the biological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
What Happened in the Laboratory?
Researchers then studied mice genetically designed to develop Alzheimer’s-like changes.
When lithium levels were reduced, the mice developed more:
- Amyloid-beta deposits
- Abnormal tau proteins
- Brain inflammation
- Loss of connections between brain cells
- Cognitive decline
Researchers then tested a form of lithium called lithium orotate. In the mouse models, very low doses appeared to reduce amyloid and tau build-up, improve the function of immune cells in the brain and improve performance on memory tests.
Those results are certainly encouraging. But there is a very important distinction: these improvements occurred in mice, not people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Does This Mean Lithium Can Prevent Alzheimer’s?
Not yet. Animal studies are an important first step in medical research, but treatments that perform well in mice do not always produce the same results in humans.
In fact, a recent pilot clinical trial looked at low-dose lithium carbonate in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. After two years, researchers did not find clear improvements in thinking, memory or brain imaging measures.
That does not necessarily disprove the newer lithium-orotate research – the compounds, doses and study designs were different – but it does show why more human trials are needed before conclusions can be drawn.
What About Lithium Supplements?
This is where families need to be particularly cautious. Lithium orotate is available as a dietary supplement in some countries, but there is currently no established dose for preventing or treating Alzheimer’s disease, and the specific ultra-low doses used in the mouse study cannot simply be translated into a supplement recommendation for humans.
Lithium also affects the body in powerful ways. Prescription lithium can influence kidney and thyroid function and requires medical monitoring.
Researchers themselves have emphasised that the next step is to determine whether the findings can be reproduced safely in human clinical trials. For now, this research should not be interpreted as a reason to start taking lithium independently.
What Can Families Do Today?
The lithium findings are interesting because they may eventually lead to an entirely new way of understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease. But until human trials provide clearer answers, the strongest evidence for supporting long-term brain health still centres on well-established measures such as:
- Regular physical activity
- Managing blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes
- Eating a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet
- Staying socially and mentally active
- Treating hearing loss where appropriate
- Prioritising good sleep
- Maintaining regular medical care
These approaches may not sound as dramatic as a new experimental treatment, but they currently have far stronger evidence behind them.
Staying Hopeful Without Getting Ahead of the Science
At Protea Memory Clinic, we understand why new dementia research attracts so much attention. Families naturally want to know whether the latest discovery could help someone they love. Our approach is to remain hopeful while also looking carefully at what the science actually shows.
The lithium research is genuinely promising and may eventually help scientists develop new approaches to Alzheimer’s prevention or treatment. But it is not yet a therapy that families can or should try on their own.
For now, specialised care, good medical oversight, meaningful daily engagement and support for both residents and families remain at the heart of living well with dementia.
References
BBC Science Focus. The everyday mineral a Harvard doctor says could help protect your brain from dementia.
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/lithium-alzheimers-dementia
Aron L, et al. Lithium deficiency and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Nature. 2025.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09335-x
Harvard Medical School. New Evidence For How Lithium Affects Alzheimer’s Pathology in the Brain.
https://learn.hms.harvard.edu/insights/all-insights/new-evidence-how-lithium-affects-alzheimers-pathology-brain
Nature Reviews Neurology. A role for lithium in Alzheimer disease.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-025-01143-1
Gildengers AG, et al. Low-Dose Lithium for Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurology. 2026.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41770546/
Lithium orotate review – safety, pharmacology and limitations.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8413749/
Commentary on lithium orotate and the need for further research.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42312809/
