Harvard researchers have discovered that lithium, a naturally occurring chemical, plays a crucial role in brain function and could help understand Alzheimer's disease.

A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School has identified lithium as essential for brain health, playing a similar role to vitamins. Studies on mice have shown that a diet low in lithium causes brain inflammation and accelerates the ageing process, including the build-up of beta-amyloid proteins, which are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Maintaining normal lithium levels protects the brain from these negative effects. The findings suggest that lithium could be used in future treatments for Alzheimer's, but further research is needed to assess its safety and effectiveness in humans.