J. Zhong, Wei-Hua Lee
Jul 1, 2007
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Influential Citations
39
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Journal
Expert Opinion on Drug Safety
Abstract
Lithium is an alkali metal. First described as a mood stabilizer in 1949, it remains an efficacious treatment for bipolar disorders. Recent emerging evidence of its neuroprotective and neurogenic effects alludes to lithium's potential therapeutic use in stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. One intriguing clinical application is in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating lithium's abilities to lower τ and β-amyloid levels in cerebrospinal fluid in Alzheimer's patients. This review summarizes the supporting evidence and safety profiles of lithium's use in the treatment of neurological diseases, especially Alzheimer's disease.