Dementia is the main cause of death in senior citizens within Western cultures. Statistics show more than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common form. This number continues to rise, putting enormous strain on healthcare systems. Delaying the start of dementia by just five years is projected to lessen its prevalence and economic burden by up to 40%. Still, there are no preventative treatments available. Thus, emphasis needs to be put on techniques and therapies that can delay the disease.
A new study may be a ray of sunshine against the problem. The scientists have brought forth an analysis showing evidence that lithium intake can reduce the chances of dementia. The research could be incredibly fruitful for Lithium Compounds Market as it puts forth a new use for the compound within the dementia therapies industry.
The total number of patients who took lithium was small. The analysis showcased that people receiving lithium were less likely to develop dementia than those who did not. The study supports the possibility that lithium could be a preventative treatment for dementia and could be progressed to large randomised controlled trials.
Researchers undertook a retrospective review of over 30,000 patients' health data. The trial occurred between 2005 and 2019, wherein the patients were all above the age of 50 and used NHS mental health treatments. Previous research has advocated lithium as a viable treatment for persons who have already been diagnosed with dementia or early cognitive impairment. But it is uncertain if it can postpone or even prevent the onset of dementia entirely due to the small sample size of these studies.
Lithium is known as a mood stabiliser that is commonly used for depression and bipolar affective disorder. Because bipolar illness and depression are thought to increase the risk of dementia, researchers had to be careful to account for this in the research.
Lithium was associated with a decreased incidence of dementia after controlling for factors such as smoking, drugs, and other physical and mental diseases. This was true for short and long-term users.
However, the total number of patients taking lithium was limited. Further, this was an observational study. Thus, larger clinical studies would be required to prove lithium as a potential dementia treatment.
Another drawback of the study was the small number of individuals with bipolar disorder, which is usually linked with an increased risk of dementia. Researchers expected to find that people with bipolar disorder were more likely to get dementia because that is the most common reason for prescribing lithium. It is anticipated that lithium may lessen the risk of dementia in those with bipolar disorder.