title: Lithium as a Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This is the first meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials testing lithium as a treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measure was efficacy on cognitive performance as measured through the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale or the Mini-Mental State Examination. Other outcome measures were drug discontinuation rate, individual side effects, and biological markers (phosphorylated tau 181, total tau, and amyloid-β42) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three clinical trials including 232 participants that met the study's inclusion criteria were identified. Lithium significantly decreased cognitive decline as compared to placebo (standardized mean difference = -0.41, 95% confidence interval = -0.81 to -0.02, p = 0.04, I2 = 47% , 3 studies, n = 199). There were no significant differences in the rate of attrition, discontinuation due to all causes or adverse events, or CSF biomarkers between treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that lithium treatment may have beneficial effects on cognitive performance in subjects with MCI and AD dementia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Annas
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Care and Family Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.|BioArctic Neuroscience AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Basun
authors.affiliation: AXA Research Fund and UPMC Chair, Sorbonne Universités,Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 06, Institut de la Mémoire et de la Maladie d'Alzheimer & INSERM U1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Département de Neurologie, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hampel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Nakao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwata
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D018020:Lithium Compounds; D018697:Nootropic Agents
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; lithium; meta-analysis; mild cognitive impairment; systematic review