Neuroprotective Effects of Lithium: Implications for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders

Author(s)

Forlenza, O. V. ^[1] ; De-Paula, V. J. R. ^[1] ; Diniz, B. S. O. ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Lab Neurosci LIM 27, Dept & Inst Psychiat, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Med, Dept Mental Hlth, BR-30000 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Med, Natl Inst Sci & Technol, BR-30000 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: ACS Chemical Neuroscience; v. 5, n. 6, p. 443-450, JUN 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 80

Abstract

Lithium is a well-established therapeutic option for the acute and long-term management of bipolar disorder and major depression. More recently, based on findings from translational research, lithium has also been regarded as a neuroprotective agent and a candidate drug for disease-modification in certain neurodegenerative disorders, namely, Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and, more recently, Parkinson's disease (PD). The putative neuroprotective effects of lithium rely on the fact that it modulates several homeostatic mechanisms involved in neurotrophic response, autophagy, oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial function. Such a wide range of intracellular responses may be secondary to two key effects, that is, the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3 beta) and inositol monophosphatase (IMP) by lithium. In the present review, we revisit the neurobiological properties of lithium in light of the available evidence of its neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties, and discuss the rationale for its use in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/52825-8 - Neurobiology of Alzheimer's disease: risk markers, prognosis and therapeutic response
• Grantee: Wagner Farid Gattaz
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants