title: Increase of BDNF serum concentration in lithium treated patients with early Alzheimer's disease.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. thomas.leyhe@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leyhe
authors.forename: Gerhard W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Eschweiler
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stransky
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Annas
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Basun
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laske
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D018020:Lithium Compounds; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010919:Placebos