Low-Dose Lithium May Slow Alzheimer's Memory Decline

New research published in JAMA Neurology (March 2025) found that low-dose lithium carbonate may slow verbal memory decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and amyloid beta buildup in the brain — a key early marker of Alzheimer's disease. In a study of 80 participants, those with amyloid plaques who received lithium showed slower verbal memory loss over two years compared to a placebo group. Separately, Harvard researchers found that declining brain lithium levels were associated with amyloid and tau buildup in both human tissue and mice. Experts caution that lithium is not currently approved for dementia treatment and larger trials are needed before any clinical recommendations can be made.