Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany | [b] Geriatric Center at the University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany | [c] Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany | [d] AstraZeneca R&D, Södertälje, Sweden
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Dr. Thomas Leyhe, University of Tübingen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Osianderstraße 24, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Tel.: +49 7071 2982311; Fax: +49 7071 294141; E-mail: [email protected].
Note: [] Communicated by Jesus Avila
Abstract: Preclinical and clinical studies gave evidence that lithium could be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In experimental investigations, lithium induces brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Recent studies have found a decrease of BDNF in the serum and brains of AD patients with potentially consecutive lack of neurotrophic support. We assessed the influence of a lithium treatment on BDNF serum concentration in a subset of a greater sample recruited for a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group multicenter 10-week study, investigating the efficacy of lithium treatment in AD patients. In AD patients treated with lithium, a significant increase of BDNF serum levels, and additionally a significant decrease of ADAS-Cog sum scores in comparison to placebo-treated patients, were found. Diminution of cognitive impairment was inversely correlated with lithium serum concentration. Upregulation of BDNF might be part of a neuroprotective effect of lithium in AD patients. The results of the present investigation encourage performing studies with longer treatment phases to observe potential positive long-term effects of lithium in AD patients.
