Sanjay Gupta: Could Lithium Help Prevent Alzheimer’s?

From Dr. Sanjay Gupta: There are currently more than 7 million people living with Alzheimer’s in the US and without any major development that can prevent or cure the disease, that number is projected to grow to more than 12 million by 2050.

But this week, a study published in the journal Nature hints at a potential answer to the mystery of dementia. Researchers say that the metal lithium likely has a role in keeping the brain healthy.

Lithium has been used for decades to treat people with bipolar disorder and depression, but it wasn’t clear to scientists exactly why it worked. In recent years, studies have pointed to a potential relationship between higher lithium exposure levels and lower rates of dementia.

Researchers at Harvard and Rush universities tested brain tissue and blood from multiple brain banks to test for trace levels of metals. They consistently found lower levels of lithium in patient samples that had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s relative to those that had normal brain function.

The researchers then applied that finding to mice. They compared mice who were fed a low-level lithium diet to those fed a regular level of lithium and found that those with the low-level exposure developed features of Alzheimer’s.

While it is a striking finding, this hypothesis still needs to be replicated in humans. But it is a hopeful clue to potentially solving the dementia puzzle.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta brings unparalleled credibility, experience, and clarity to the stage as one of the world’s most trusted voices in health and medicine. As CNN’s chief medical correspondent and a practicing neurosurgeon, he has reported on every major health crisis of the last two decades—from the frontlines of natural disasters and war zones to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Event audiences benefit not only from his deep medical expertise, but also his unique ability to communicate complex topics with clarity, empathy, and relevance. Whether discussing brain health, crisis response, or the intersection of media and medicine, Dr. Gupta delivers insights that are timely, actionable, and deeply resonant for groups of all kinds. To host him for a speaking engagement, contact WWSG.